Shattered Smiles
by EmilyStark
Summary: Rated M, Sequel to Puzzled Hearts.While raising their infant son, Damon and Elena face some tough bumps in the road as they expect baby number two. The only question is can Damon handle another baby- or will he leave? Tears, departures, & surprises.
1. Introduction

**A/N: This is for all those who loved Puzzled Hearts. I hereby present the sequel- Shattered Smiles. **

**Concept:**

_**While raising their infant son, Drake, Damon and Elena face some tough bumps in the road as they expect baby number two. The only question is, can Damon handle another baby? Lots of tears, heartbreaks, arguments, departures, comforting, reunions, and shattered smiles to come. **_

**Here is a sneak-peak into Shattered Smiles, which I will officially start once I am close to finishing Lover Come Back. **

Glancing in the mirror seemed to be the hardest activity for him. He couldn't comprehend who he had become. This wasn't him. This wasn't Damon Salvatore.

His hair was in all directions as he shuffled into the bathroom, flipping the light switch upon arrival. With a long sigh, he kept his eyes plastered to the counter. His fingers wrapped around the hairbrush in the small, metallic bin in the corner. The tines of the brush swept through my hair as if it were a finger against the strings of a harp. The bags beneath his eyes were evident, continuing the action of brushing his raven hair.

Ever since they cut their honeymoon short because of their sudden discovery, Damon has been a paranoid, ill-tempered, sulky, snappy, and agitated shell-of-a-man. Even Elena's mood swings and hormones could not compare to his recently-acquired traits.

Her eyes cracked open upon the sunlight pouring onto her face. Sitting up, her arms went skyward as she draped her legs over to the side of the couch. Memories of the previous night's heated argument floated into the crevices of her mind.

"_Do you not love me anymore?" Her voice rose with each word. _

_Damon's feet ventured out the threshold of their bedroom, making his way down the staircase, "Stop screaming, you'll wake Drake up." His tone was hushed, calm even._

_She shook her head feverishly, "He's at Caroline's, I told you that a hundred times." Her hands were thrown into the air. He shrugged his shoulders before he ventured to the front door._

"_Where are you going?" She asked, slowly making her way down the stairs._

_The door opened as his foot jutted out of the opening, "I need a fresh drink." The breath was hitched in her throat as the anger rose, resulting in her blood to boil._

"_Fine, and don't expect to be sleeping in the bed!" Her hand reached down to the shoe placed on her right foot, tossing it with full force towards the front door. But he had long since left and was already walking towards his car, a grin frown placed upon his lips._

A shiver shot up her spine at the bitter memory. Not wanting to remember it, she shook her head. Her foot grazed the floor as she tried continuously to stand up, but the shooting pain up her back was stopping her from succeeding.

"Dammit." She groaned after leaning back into the couch, exhausted.

Her eyes surveyed the torn-up room; the lamps were smashed, the pillows were partially ripped open, the coffee table was on its side. Elena bit her lip as she remembered the reason behind the tornado-like results.

"_Do you have any idea what time it is?" She asked, hands on her hips as he walked into the home at one in the morning._

_He stumbled up the staircase, the same, grim frown plastered to his lips. Elena was following him with each step until they reached the edge of the bed where he flopped onto the mattress. _

_His body took up nearly the entire bed, so, with a giant huff, she asked, "You don't expect me to sleep on the couch, do you?" _

_The only response was the steady snore that emitted from his lips. Her entire face dropped at the sound. How could he expect his pregnant wife to sleep on the hard couch?_

_Elena's eyes began to burn as she slowly descended down the stairs, her feet barely grazing the wood of the steps. Once she reached the foot of the couch, her eyes darted towards the top of the staircase, hoping that he would be standing there, a wicked grin plastered to his face as he announced that it was all a big joke. And that she could relax into the large, comfortable mattress upstairs._

_But that never happened. _

_With each tick of the clock, her heart tore. She stood still for moments before realization set in. Her hands tore and broke everything that they came into contact with. Lamps, pillows, books, shelves, nothing was safe from her wrath of fury._

When the brush reached the back of his scalp, Damon lifted the brush up gently, and then brought it back to the front of his scalp. And as it swept through his raven hair once more, it seemed to be erasing the bitter memories of last night.

If only that was true, for the memories were blurry, but they were permanently glued to his brain.

With a sharp intake of breath, he brought his gaze up to the mirror. The figure before him was frightening; bags under his eyes, skin paler than normal, eyes dull.

What happened to Damon Salvatore?

**A/N: ****Remember: Your reviews are my inspiration to keep writing!**

**I won't continue this until I finish, or am close to finishing, Lover Come Back. **


	2. Children's Play

**A/N: Alrighty, let's get this show on the road. Here's the (personally) much anticipated chapter two of Shattered Smiles! (The poll for whether baby #2 should be a boy or girl is now on my profile! It's all up to you!)**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Children's Play**

* * *

Her feet were crossed over one another, tucked beneath herself as she clapped her son's hands together, a forced smile upon her lips. The pain was evident, but even if her son was barely a year old, Elena could see that her son was far more intelligent than meets the eye. He had just gained his first set of teeth when he began flashing the same crooked smile as his father, the blue eyes making him seem like a mirror image of his father. Each time she looked towards her son, she had to bit her lip from bursting into tears.

Her son was what Damon used to be, happy, enjoying the present life. Currently, he husband was the man he said he would never be; raging alcoholic, barely seeing his son for more than an hour during the course of each day, and never showing affection towards his wife besides the kiss upon her cheek in the morning. With each passing day, she grew more and more sexually frustrated, even resorting to using her hands to satisfy herself.

It was one day in the dead of fall, that Damon walked in on Elena as she was in the middle of satisfying herself. The conflict in his ice blue eyes was clear as he locked gazes with her; to show her his love or walk out the door? His feet leapt forward, preparing his arms to wrap around her. Her breath was caught in her throat at the action, only to be dearly disappointed by him pulling himself away just as his lips were mere centimeters away. The devilish gleam in his eyes showed a glimpse of his old self, but otherwise, as he sped out the door to do God-knows-what, he was still the shell-of-a-man that he had become.

Elena shook her head from the momentary black-out of staring at the wall when her son began tugging at her hands which were still locked on his wrists. Glancing down to Drake, she smiled warmly, pulling him into a hug, "I'm sorry, Drake," She pulled back to look into his eyes, her arm wrapped under his bottom to support him, "Mommy's just really lonely."

In that moment, she could have sworn that she saw her son jut his bottom lip out for mere seconds before returning to his cooing and clapping. Just as Elena tilted her head, debating whether she saw it or not, Caroline walked into the room, her arms carrying a large bowl of popcorn and a bottle for Drake. She knew that Elena was suffering, just as Damon was.

Handing her the bowl, she took a seat on the couch and watched the scene before her, "How's everything at home?"

Elena glanced up while still playing with Drake, "Fine." The word had a hidden message, a more of a 'please help me!' beneath. Caroline knew that Damon would never abuse Elena, well not physically anyway, but she could see that he was definitely doing something wrong. It would barely take a scratch at the surface to see that there was something unethical happening within the home of the Salvatore's.

With a sharp intake of breath, she spoke out, "Lena," Elena glanced up to her once more, giving her her full attention, "Are you sure that everything is alright?"

Elena bit her lip, glancing down to the infant she held in her arms; the raven hair, ice blue eyes, pouty lips, her eyes welling up at the sight, "He doesn't love me anymore."

Caroline gave her a sideways glance, confused, "Does he not tell you that he loves you?"

Elena shook her head, a tear cascading down her cheek, only to be hidden by the strands of hair covering her face.

Caroline's face grew slightly red, hissing to herself, "Fucking moron," She placed the bowl on the table before picking up Drake from her and bringing Elena to her feet. Staring into her eyes, Drake on her hip, she softly spoke, "He's going through a stage. All men go through this, trust me. The first baby takes a while to comprehend, but a second baby, directly after your honeymoon, comes as a shock. I mean, think of this, he just got used to Drake, and now he has to adjust to having a second life he has to be responsible for."

Elena let out a sniffle before wrapping her arms around Caroline, "I don't think this is a stage, Care. You've seen him go through his stages, we all have. They last for years."

Caroline couldn't help, but agree.

* * *

His head was throbbing when he picked his head up off of the mattress, or was that a counter? Rubbing his eyes, Damon quickly realized his surroundings to be the Mystic Grill, and he was currently sitting in the dark bar area. He must have slept there all night, and, thanks to Matt, he didn't get kicked out.

"You almost finished?" A voice asked in the darkest area of the bar section.

_Speaking of Matt._

Damon straightened his back, and cleared his throat, "Yeah, just let me finish this dri-" He was cut off by a clearly-annoyed Matt.

"I don't mean the drink, or here," He shook his head, disappointed in the way that Damon had been acting, "Are you finished with this ridiculous drinking binge?" Damon's mouth parted to speak, only to be cut off once more, "You have a wife and a child at home, as well as another little one on the way," He walked towards the front doors, only turning around to say, "Get your priorities straight."

As Matt left, Damon muttered profanities under his breath, collecting his small amount of paraphernalia and leaving the Grill. Coming to his car, he slid the key into the keyhole before opening the door, "You have no fucking right to tell me what to do, Mutt." And with that said, he hopped into the driver's seat, slamming the door shut.

* * *

Arriving at the boarding house, the immediate dread filled her whole when she spotted his car in the driveway. She glanced into the rearview mirror to see her son fast asleep, making small coos. The car halted to the side of his car, and Elena wished that she didn't have to see his face today.

It was enough that he was ignoring her, but to treat her that way in front of their own son was plain cruelty. She's a woman, she has certain needs!

Cradling the still fast asleep Drake against her chest, she kicked the car door closed before inhaling sharply. She had her suspicions of him sleeping around with random woman, but she could never find the solid evidence beside her own thoughts. She twisted the door knob with her free hand, sticking her head in to make sure he was not within her eye range.

Elena sighed in content when she couldn't see him anywhere near the front of the house. Stepping inside, she softly kicked the front door shut before walking towards the staircase.

She nearly jumped out of her skeleton when Damon practically yelled out from the parlor, "Where were you?"

The sudden, booming voice awoke Drake, resulting in him screaming his lungs out. Elena flashed a nasty glare towards Damon before quickly walking upstairs where she nestled Drake into his crib, waiting until he was fast asleep once again. Once his eyes closed and he began to coo, she ventured downstairs and into the parlor where she stood in front of Damon with her arms crossed against her chest, "What the hell was that? You saw him sleeping and you still screamed."

He shrugged his shoulders, staring into the fireplace as he brought the glass of bourbon to his lips. Growing sick of his games, she rushed towards him, knocking the glass out of his hand and shattering on the floor. It took Damon a moment to realize what happened, until he sped to his feet so he was staring directly into her eyes, mere centimeters from touching their noses together.

"Never do that again." He hissed, eyes dangerously narrowed. The look in his eyes sent a shiver down Elena's spine as she slowly backed up, showing Damon that she was frightened of him. He had to look away to ignore the terrified look on her face, pouring himself another glass of bourbon and sitting down in the chair once more.

Her bottom lip trembled before she rushed upstairs, slamming the door shut. The booming noise resulted in Drake to once again wake up from his slumber. Elena could not hear the wails of her infant, for she was sobbing in the corner of her room, curled up in a ball, a hand rested against her stomach.

At first, Damon ignored the wailing Drake, until, ten minutes later, the screaming infant continued, and his patience snapped. Speeding into the nursery, his eyes landed on Drake whose bottom lip was quivering, eyes wide and puffy. This didn't faze him the least bit as he picked up the still screaming Drake, "Shut up!" He hissed.

Before he could speak another word, Elena was grabbing Drake from his hands, cradling him against her chest, and rushing back to her room, leaving Damon to kick himself.

* * *

**A/N: This got depressing, I know. In case you were wondering, Damon is going through this weird stage right now where he's not himself. Think of it like Stefan's Ripper stage.**

**Remember; your reviews are my inspiration to keep writing! :)**


	3. Enough to Let Me Go

**Chapter 3: Enough to Let Me Go**

* * *

The suspicions of his actions had grown in the days following the incident. She didn't know what went up in blames in the world he had created, but Elena knew that if she didn't protect her children, as well as herself, she might as well be putting all of their lives at risk. Guarding her flesh and blood was her number one priority at the time, for she had no clue what Damon would do next. He had completely lost control and had become this whole different person she was slowly beginning to despise.

Damon spent countless nights out and about town, always with a bottle of bourbon in hand. On one of the nights while he was stumbling through the streets, trying to find his way home, his knees gave out, dropping to the ground where he laid, his head and body rested against the pavement of the black street. The soft patter of rain against his leather jacket soothed his sobbing head, only to be disrupted by the screeching of tires. Ever so slowly, his head turned towards the source of the screeching, finding himself nearly blinded by two bright lights shining down on him.

If he was in his right mind, Damon would have called it a close call, for the bumper was nearly hovering over his shoulder as the driver stepped out of the car.

"Oh my God! Are you alright?" He placed a hand on his brows, finally being able to see the face of the driver, a woman in her late twenties. Too tired to feed from her, all he could do was speed to his feet, nearly scaring the poor woman out of her skin.

Swaying back and forth for a few moments, he composed himself, "I'm fine." Just as he turned his back to leave the woman in the dust, a hand gripped his shoulder.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?" She asked, innocence dripping in her voice.

His entire body tensed, which immediately made the woman's hand drop back to her side, and he flipped his body around so he was facing her directly, "That's all that everyone wants to know!" He took one step forward, causing her to step backwards, "Are you okay, Damon? Do you need help? I'm fucking fine!" She flinched as his voice grew with anger, shouting in her face when she knew absolutely nothing about him. In one, swift movement his hands wrapped around her head, snapping her neck.

The blank stare on his face was that of a mad man, looking down upon his victim. She was as innocent as can be, just asking if he was alright out of good will. Now, as he stared down upon her lifeless body, the tinge of regret in his eyes showed itself.

* * *

By that time, Elena was far used to the idea of being home alone with Drake, doing nothing, but read baby name books. But the fear of her own husband had grown far too great, and when she knew that he was gone for at least a good chunk of time, she carefully pulled out her suitcase. With enough tears to fill the ocean shed, she packed what she could and called a cab.

With Drake on her hip, she glanced out from under the overhang, seeing the rain pour down on the grass, creating a river of mud towards the edge of the lawn. Her mind began projecting images that were similar to the way her marriage was; the joyous memories being the adventure down from the clouds that the raindrops had to endure. Then, her marriage came crashing down for reasons Elena still does not have knowledge of. And finally, she ran away, just as the water ran downhill away from the grass, leaving in such a hurry. It wasn't until she heard the obnoxious honking of a car horn that she realized the cab had arrived. Biting her lip, she rushed out to the back of the cab where the cab driver assisted her in putting the suitcase in and hopped into the back of the taxi, Drake securely placed on her lap.

People say that once you leave, you should never look back, for fears that you would long to turn that car around and go right back. Elena Gilbert had broken that rule, looking over shoulder, out the window to the boarding house she had so many fond memories of. She knew that she was depriving her son of having a father to grow up with or being raised in the glorious and beautiful boarding house. Oh yes, she knew, she had thought every aspect that would follow after she left. She knew the consequences, but also knew that it was for the best, for everyone.

* * *

One lonely, frustrated man, Damon to be exact, had begun to walk home after aimlessly wandering the streets of Mystic Falls. His priorities were in a jumble, unable to gain control over his life again. Deep down, whenever he saw the angelic face of his wife, his heart tore, for he knew that he was causing her pain.

Stumbling up the porch steps, he pushed the front door open. This actually came as a surprise, for Elena usually locked him out until he found another way inside. Leaning against the banister of the staircase, he called out, "Elena!"

Dead silence.

He tilted his head, "Elena!"

Silence.

Most men would panic at a time like this, but to Damon it was more of a game of hide-and-seek, with a deadly ending. Pushing off of the banister, he stumbled into the parlor, looking in every space possible to find her. No luck. Continuing on to the neighboring rooms, he couldn't find any sign of her. He narrowed his eyes before speeding upstairs, knowing that he wouldn't find her there. The suspicions were high as he looked around, playing the role of Sherlock Holmes.

Opening her dresser drawers, he frowned, "Why, Watson, I do believe that we have a missing persons case." The utterly black heart of Damon Salvatore tore down to the core at the sight of the empty drawers and the vacant spot in the closet where Elena had kept her suitcase. Reality seemed to smack him in the face, but he punched right back, not wanting to end this little game of his just yet.

* * *

Arriving at the train station, her eyes skimmed across the various locations she could sneak away to.

_New York City, no. Los Angeles, no. Lexington, Virginia._

She thought for a moment, knowing from history class with Alaric that Lexington was a small town that not too many people knew about. Elena glanced down to Drake who was beginning to shut his eyes, immediately knowing that Lexington was perfect.

* * *

**A/N: This was short, sorry. I hope you enjoyed this little twist!**

**Remember to click the little button below to inspire me to write the next chapter!**


	4. Realization Sucks

**Chapter 4: Realization Sucks**

* * *

The town of Lexington seemed rundown, yet had a historical beauty. Large wooden mills in the four corners of the town were still partially-working, the town hall was made completely of red bricks with four white columns coming down near the entrance, the church was one third the size of most modern churches with a stained-white steeple, and most downtown shops were dating back from the late-1800s. It was quite a sight for Elena since she was so used to more modern buildings as in Mystic Falls.

The sun was high in the sky, beaming its rays down upon the young brunette and the small, raven-haired infant in the stroller she was pushing. In the undercarriage of the stroller laid her small suitcase which was filled with her and Drake's clothing. She had one hundred and sixty dollars in her purse, which would only last her a solid month, or in this town, maybe two. She was constantly glancing over her shoulder, looking for Damon to reappear to drag her back home, but after nearly six days in Lexington, she gave up looking.

Elena knew that she would be able to find her here, for they were constantly sending postcards to each other every month, inviting one another for a visit. When she came upon a bench in the middle of a park under a tall tree, she sat down, softly rolling the stroller back and forth with her foot to get Drake to sleep. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the most recent postcard that was sent to her, looking carefully at the address.

_1682 Colton Ave._

Inhaling sharply, she leaned back in the bench, trying to enjoy the moment.

* * *

The home, as well as Mystic Falls felt like it had a gaping hole each time Damon strolled the streets. He couldn't understand why she left, even though the answer was right before him when he looked in the mirror.

He couldn't understand that he had driven his wife away, along with their son. Ever since Elena left, no one came to talk to him, no one wanted to help. He was simply a lost cause tipping over the edge of sanity.

Resorting to drinking bourbon and going out at night to feed was beginning to bore him. There was this strange feeling in the pit of his heart that he needed something more, something that he could wrap his arms around. Too bad he had driven that something away.

* * *

The lines of red brick houses had finally led Elena to the home that she was yearning to see. She carefully pulled the stroller up the steps before knocking on the door. It only took a few seconds before she was greeted with a very familiar face, her arms wrapping around Elena's shoulders.

"It's so nice to see you." She purred, pulling back to look into her eyes, immediately seeing something wrong.

Elena tore her gaze away from hers, looking down to her feet, "It's nice to see you too, Katherine."

Katherine stepped outside, helping Elena bring the stroller in with the wide-eyed Drake seated inside. She placed Drake on the living room floor with a load of toys before returning to Elena who was sitting on one of the kitchen stools, "Tell me the truth, now. Why are you here?"

Elena rubbed her forearm with her left hand before looking directly into Katherine's eyes, "Damo-"

"Elena? Is that you?" A male voice asked from behind her. She flipped her head around to see Stefan struggling to put a tie on.  
"Hey, Stefan." She said, watching as Katherine walked up to him and fixed his tie for him before planting a kiss on his cheek. The smiles on their faces reminded Elena of her own marriage, before all chaos broke loose.

Stefan took a cup down from one of cabinets, filling in up with steaming coffee before leaning against the counter to drink his coffee, "So, what's up?" Katherine wrapped her hand around his waist, nodding in agreement to his question.

Elena twiddled her thumbs, looking out to where Drake was playing with a black Hummer toy, "Problems on the home front."

Stefan took a sip of his coffee, immediately knowing what to ask next, "What did he do?"

Katherine stepped towards Elena, softly placing her finger beneath Elena's chin to gently pull it to face her, "Did he hurt you?" Elena had never seen Katherine's eyes so soft and emotional.

At first, Elena shook her head, before slightly nodding, "Something has changed in him. Ever since the honeymoon he's been so distant and angered."

Katherine's eyes narrowed as Stefan shook his head in disappointment of his older brother. He cleared his throat, "Do you want me to talk to him?"

Elena shot her head towards him, "No, he'll know that I'm here." The fright in her eyes immediately alarmed the two.

Katherine wrapped her arms around Elena, "You can stay as long as you want. We'll protect you, Elena, it'll be okay."

* * *

Another day of pacing the floors led to more broken mirrors and lamps. Most of the rooms looked as if a tornado had ripped through it, tearing everything to shreds. The pillows were shredded, the mirrors were shattered, the lamps were snapped in halves, nothing could have escaped his wrath.

His persona was that of a rebel with no cause, but in his eyes and soul, he was a lost little boy trying to find his way back to his love. The love who he had carelessly driven away by his uncontrolled anger in which he does not have an explanation for. Where the anger came from he did not know. Why he was taking his bottled-up anger out on his family he did not know.

"I'm a lost cause." He muttered to himself as he sat on the couch in the parlor, mindlessly staring at the wall. It was the first day in God-knows-how-long that he had not had a drink of any alcohol. It seemed as if he was sobering up for the day she returned. Damon kept telling himself that she was coming back, maybe today or tomorrow.

He couldn't bear to think that she wouldn't be walking through that door ever again, all thanks to him.

* * *

**A/N: I really hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Also, sorry for such the long wait!**

**What the hell is going on through Damon's head? I think he's lost his marbles. *sigh* Again.**

_**Thank you to:**_

_**Nuitnoire**_

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_**For reviewing last chapter!**_

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	5. Destroyed Dreams

**A/N: Disclaimer: I do NOT own Vampire Diaries or any characters affiliated with the Vampire Diaries. I only own any characters that I have created.**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Destroyed Dreams**

* * *

True love is not how you forgive, but how you forget, not what you see but what you feel, not how you listen but how you understand, and not how you let go but how you hold on. You know you truly love somebody when they hurt you so badly, but all you can think about it is the times when they made you smile. True love is the reason Elena Gilbert was laying in the guest room of her once-despised doppelganger, the tears flowing down her cheeks.

Katherine had insisted that Elena stay in bed for the day, let everything out. And she did, for nearly four hours she cried her eyes out, while Katherine held a sleeping Drake close, listening to the persistent sobbing from outside the closed door. She couldn't help but let a tear of her own slide down her cheek.

_Katherine's Point Of View_

My knees were about to give out when I gently placed Drake into the portable crib, stroking the raven locks, watching as he sucked his thumb. My feet were tired when I managed my way back to the closed door just down the hall, hearing the crying continuing.

She must have had her head in the pillow, for her sobs were muffled, and she would breathe in deeply, almost as if her airways were blocked. Inhaling sharply, I rested my hand on the door handle, bringing it down to open the door. I was taken aback when I found that the door was locked, resulting in me nearly smashing my face into the door. Sighing, I knocked on the door with my knuckles.

"Please open the door." I managed my most calm voice, trying to remain composed. If she didn't open the door within the next minute, I would have exploded, knocking the door off its hinges.

There was a faint sniffle, and the ruffle of bed sheets, which later paused, like she was debating whether or not she should open the door. I stood with my arms crossed against my chest, waiting impatiently. Just as I was about to begin the countdown, the jingle of the bolts in the door coming undone was sounded, letting me know that she was opening the door.

_Finally._

My arms almost wrapped around her when I saw the two pink and puffy eyes staring at me sadly, a small pout on her lips. She cleared her throat before she said in a cracked voice, "Yes?"

Eyes softened, I replied, "May I come in?" I uncrossed my arms from my chest, bringing them back to my sides. She saw the hint of anger in my eyes fade away, left with only sympathy. With a small nod, she stepped aside, letting me walk in and sit on the bed with her.

I played with the diamond ring on my finger nervously, not knowing how to comfort someone directly. Elena leaned back into the pillow, feeling the awkward tension build. My eyes dashed up to her face, seeing the dried tears still evident on her cheeks, "Do you want to talk about it?"

For a split second, she shook her head, only to nod, "Y-yes."

I nodded, trying to think of what to say next, "Um, how about you start from the beginning. Everything, don't leave anything out." I adjusted so I was directly facing her, readying myself for the story that was to come.

She thought for a moment, wringing her hands, "I'll start when this all began."

* * *

_**Honeymoon…**_

_Their hands were locked together, never to be unbound internally. The huts lining the streets were small yet beautiful._

_"I love this, don't you?" She asked him, watching the small children pass by._

_He smiled, "I only love one thing," She snapped her head to him, "You."_

_Elena slowly leaned in, her lips puckering. Suddenly, she jerked back, eyes wide._

_"Ugh, I don't feel so w-" She launched herself towards the nearest garbage bin, regurgitating all the contents of her stomach._

_Damon stood back, dumb-struck, "Lena?"_

_She glanced up as realization dawned upon her. She sighed, "Not again." His face went pale for a few moments, jaw nearly to the ground. How could this have happened- again? He shook his head in disbelief._

"_Maybe you're just sick." He nodded, agreeing with himself. This made her chuckle as she managed back to where he was standing. She went to grab his hand, only for him to pull away suddenly. The look in his eyes was that of pure horror and fright. He was scared beyond belief of not just taking of one life, but two._

"_Damon," The hurt was evident in her eyes, "Perhaps if I see a local doctor and he confirms it, then you'll be able to understand this?" He only nodded before walking back to the hotel with her, never once holding hands with her._

* * *

_**Doctor Moari's Office**_

"_I have dee results, Mrs. Salvadore." The rimmed glasses on the male doctor made him look twice his age. He was by far not from Bora Bora, but looked to be of Indian descent. _

_She smiled warmly, "It's Salvatore."_

_He chuckled, shaking the clipboard in his hand, "That's what I said, Mrs. Salvadore." She shrugged her shoulders impatiently, letting him see that she was still waiting._

_He looked towards the chair seated by the exam bed, "Will your husband be coming?" She bit her lip, shaking her head now as she looked towards her feet which were dangling off the sides of the bed. In complete honesty, she felt like a child again, waiting nervously to get the dreaded shot with the small frown plastered to her lips as her bare feet dangled over._

_Doctor Moari nodded sadly before pushing his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, "Well, I guess that a congradulations is in order." He smiled at the equally gleeful Elena._

* * *

_**Bora Bora Honeymoon Suite**_

Damon was pacing the floors of the hotel suite, nervously awaiting the results. How could this happen so quickly? He knew that it was partially his fault, after all, it takes two to tango. Rubbing his temples, he heard the door open and shut.

"Elena? Is that you?" He called out, walking towards the front door. Damon was stopped in his tracks when Elena jumped onto him, wrapping her legs around his hips.

The smile on her face had him panicking, "We're pregnant!" While her heart was rejoicing, his was dropping to his stomach, expecting the opposite. He shook his head, unlatching her from his waist.

"I'm…going out." His head was throbbing, needing an escape. There was no way in hell that he was going to sleep around, so he went with the alternative. The alternative in which he had given up for their honeymoon. Alcohol.

Reaching the closest, yet crummiest bar, he sat down on one of the many vacant stools, finding it hard to concentrate. The bartender walked up to him, speaking in fluent French, "Que voulez-vous boire?" (_What would you like to drink?)_

Damon thought for a moment, rubbing his temples. Deciding against bourbon, he answered, "Les plus forts merde vous avez." (_The strongest shit you have.) _The bartender raised his dark eyebrows before heading off to make the deadly drink.

Once the perspiration of the mug hit the skin of his hand, Damon glanced up, seeing the bartender holding out the mug. He took the drink, raising it up in silent salute before chugging it down, the liquid burning his throat as it went down.

When the entire cup was empty, he let out a cough, "Strong," It was the only word he could manage before slamming his head against the counter, everything turning black.

Elena had grown worried, for he had not returned home in the past four hours. Walking through the streets alone was the last plan on her mind, so she went to the main lobby, asking for a car. The clerk hesitantly agreed, handing over the car keys. The car was much smaller than she had imagined, but she sucked it up and squeezed into the pint-sized vehicle. Even the engine made the car sound even more ridiculous. It had the roar of a kitten and the horn sounded as if it were a mouse's squeak. Shaking her head, she buckled her seat belt and drove off.

Elena ran a list through her head of where she could find him.

_Bar_

_Bar_

_Bar_

She bit her lip, knowing she had to at least check out the last place in mind.

_Where you would find desperate girls._

She couldn't bear to say the real name without regurgitating the contents of her stomach. Before she could list any more places, the dimly-lit, broken-down sign came into view. "Bennie's." She rolled her eyes at the name, knowing that he wouldn't care about the sign, but the alcohol that was served.

Elena rolled up her sleeves, preparing herself for a mess as she stepped inside. The door creaked shut, snapping one particular head up, a head with raven locks. The pure blue eyes dashed towards her face, visibly gulping.

She slowly walked towards him, anger in each step she took, "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

* * *

_"Do you have any idea what time it is?" She asked, hands on her hips as he walked into the home at one in the morning._

_He stumbled up the staircase, the same, grim frown plastered to his lips. Elena was following him with each step until they reached the edge of the bed where he flopped onto the mattress._

_His body took up nearly the entire bed, so, with a giant huff, she asked, "You don't expect me to sleep on the couch, do you?"_

_The only response was the steady snore that emitted from his lips. Her entire face dropped at the sound. How could he expect his pregnant wife to sleep on the hard couch?_

_Elena's eyes began to burn as she slowly descended down the stairs, her feet barely grazing the wood of the steps. Once she reached the foot of the couch, her eyes darted towards the top of the staircase, hoping that he would be standing there, a wicked grin plastered to his face as he announced that it was all a big joke. And that she could relax into the large, comfortable mattress upstairs._

_But that never happened._

_With each tick of the clock, her heart tore. She stood still for moments before realization set in. Her hands tore and broke everything that they came into contact with. Lamps, pillows, books, shelves, nothing was safe from her wrath of fury._

_She knew in her heart that he didn't care about this baby, or Drake. The only reason he was still here was because she got pregnant, she kept telling herself. _

* * *

As she sat on the bed, finishing up telling Katherine her entire story, she realized the words Damon spoke on their honeymoon.

_"I only love one thing-you."_

It all came crashing down upon her that he never once said that he loved two things, her and Drake. He never wanted Drake; he only stayed because she wanted to have Drake.

**Elena's Point of View**

It was then that I realized that if I had let him have the decision of whether we kept Drake or not, he would have decided for the alternative, abortion. My heart sank upon the thought of him doing such a thing. I knew deep in my heart that he would have done that if I had let him choose.

It was horrible thought which made my face twist in anger. I looked up to Katherine's face, seeing that she had seen the look on my face.

She laid a hand on my shoulder before hesitating. The conflict was evident in her eyes before she pulled me into a hug. It felt so surreal; one moment she's the evil doppelganger who I wished that I had never met, and the next, she's the caring person who I had gone to for comfort. Was I dreaming this?

* * *

The Camaro had become Damon's home as he searched the entire town for her, even ransacking all of her friends' homes. Never did he step foot in the boarding house, afraid of the memories that would come flooding in.

The more he slept in the Camaro parked outside the boarding house, the more he could feel the memories pouring in, such as the time when he visited Elena in the hospital, only to run out of the and fly to Las Vegas. Or the time he had rushed Elena to the hospital when she was going into labor with Drake. The memories were so vivid as he closed his eyes, welcoming them in.

It seemed that he had finally realized what true love really meant. True love is not about the hugs and kisses, the 'I love you's' or the 'I miss you's', but about the chills that hit every part of your spine when you think about her. Even if there's no hope of saving himself left.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, Doctor Moari is Indian, as in he is from India, not the people with the bows. Memories, aren't they just so heartwarming, yet cruel. Eh, Damon better get his act together soon *wink***

**Alright, the people have voted! Baby number two will officially be a beautiful baby girl. Now, the only question is, what will I name her? Hmm, you'll just have to wait and see!**


	6. Please Read: June 8 2012

**Announcement:**

This story will be continued. And NO, I was not trying to gain attention. I was simply distraught over the amount of readers that had simply dropped the story, and acted on that feeling by prematurely ending this sequel. When I post the next chapter it will replace this announcement. Apologies for the craziness.

-EmilyStark


	7. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

**A/N: "We can never turn back the pages of time, though we may wish to relive a happy moment, or say goodbye just one last time, we never can, because the sands of time continue to fall, and we can't turn the hourglass over." Once again, I apologize.**

* * *

The sweat cascaded down until reaching the dip of her chin where it continuously fell until hitting the floor where it splashed against the black of the pavement. Her chest heaved with each step forward she took, one small stride closer to feeling somewhat whole again.

Drake was amazed by the surroundings of the park, pointing to each tree that they passed as Elena pushed the stroller while jogging. Her heart pounded in her chest, her mind cleared of all thoughts of Damon. This was what she had always wanted; a normal life surrounded by normal people. Sure, she missed her friends back in Mystic Falls, but now she could ensure that her son would be safe.

Her hands gripped the handle of the stroller, knowing that she was a few good blocks away from Katherine's home, and that anybody could be lurking around the corner, readying themselves to pop out. It was just when Elena was starting to feel like a human again that she received a letter…

* * *

_Katherine rolled around in her bed, trying to gain a tad bit more sleep. The persistent knocking on her door kept her eyes wide open._

"_What?" She asked, beyond irritated. _

_A brunette's head popped in through the door that was slightly ajar, "You told me to wake you up at six thirty." Elena lightly gasped when she saw Katherine's head pop out from under the covers, her hair in all directions, a deep frown placed upon her lips._

_Katherine held her head with her hands, "It's Sunday, isn't it?" She could feel her head sway. _

_Elena shook her head, chuckling as she stepped in, "Nah, it's Saturday. You have that meeting with that," She placed her fingers in the air to create a quote-on-quote, "special person who you must talk to."_

_Katherine thought for a moment before sighing and turning towards the other half of the bed, "Ste-" She brought her hand down, expecting it to hit flesh, but instead hitting the mattress. She sighed once again, "Ugh, I keep forgetting that they changed his schedule," She slid off of the mattress before walking towards her dresser. Her eyes glanced up to the mirror after picking out a black dress suit. _

_Elena stared off into space before Katherine cleared her throat, "Could I have some privacy please?" She had a snippet of her old, bitchy self. _

_Elena snapped out of her trance, nodded, and walked out of the room, allowing Katherine to change. _

_Her feet glided down the stairs and into the kitchen where she prepared a bottle for Drake. She set the bottle into the pot with boiling water before heading towards the front door. It was all part of her daily routine, which made her feel like she had a slight OCD problem. _

_Her feet stepped onto the cement just outside the front door. The sun poured onto her skin, coating each layer with rays of light. Her lips twitched upwards into a smile, only to be wiped clean from her face when her entire body froze at the sound of the crunching of leaves a few feet to her right. _

_Elena froze, slowly turning her head to the right. _

"_Good morning!" Came a cheerful voice, a little too loud for this hour in the morning. Elena nearly jumped clear out of her skin, only to return the warm smile at the neighbor. Jeff Sanders had moved in a few weeks ago with his wife, Kalee from Seattle. His light brown hair flowed down to the top of eyebrows, brushed to the side at times, right below his chocolate-brown eyes. His wife had been jealous of Elena because she could not have children, but had been insisting that she watch Drake even when Elena kindly turned down the offers countless times. _

_Elena could feel the eye rolls itching to be presented, only to be bit back when he began talking about the town festivities. _

"_The town council has decided to have a ball this upcoming Friday. Do you think you'll be attending?" He asked, eyebrows slightly furrowed._

_Elena shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know yet. Maybe." _

_His smile faltered for brief moments before flipping back to the toothy-grin he had on minutes ago. It always confused Elena how he could have a sudden change in mood so suddenly, in fact, it was quite creepy._

_Jeff nodded towards his car, "I better get going. Don't want to be late." The sarcasm was dripping in his voice, reminding Elena of he-who-will-remain-unnamed…for-the-time-being. _

_He walked to his car awkwardly, pulling open the door only to call back to her, "Elena?" _

_She glanced to him, giving her full attention._

"_I forgot to mention that Kalee and I saw a man standing outside of your home last night. It was rather unnerving, so I called the police. And by the time they got here, he was gone." _

_Elena tilted her head to the side, "Very strange. Thank you for letting me know." _

_He nodded, hopping into his car and letting the engine roar to life. With a quick wave, Elena continued down to the mailbox, glancing over her shoulder to make sure he had left. She watched as the car drove down the street, and then turned sharply to the right. _

_With a sharp inhale of breath, she pulled open the mailbox, finding countless letters and junk mail. _

"_Ugh." Elena groaned in annoyance. While she sorted through the top-half of the stack of mail, the thoughts of that mysterious man popped into her mind. _

_Who was he and what did he want?_

_It was unnerving knowing that a man was watching their house. It was far creepier than the Jeff situation, in fact. By the time she stepped foot into the kitchen, she had thrown away most of the junk mail, only throwing the important letters onto the counter. _

"_Katherine, Katherine, Stefan, Katherine, Stefan," She tossed each letter onto the counter as she sorted through each person's mail. Suddenly, she paused, looking at the very last letter, "Me." Gripping it in her hand, she flipped it from side to side as if it was foreign._

_Elena tore open the envelope, and tossed it onto the counter, gripping the folded letter in her right hand. The paper was pure white, folded neatly and precisely. This person had quite obviously taken their time to write a letter to her. With her head tilted to the side, she read the letter:_

_Elena,_

_I'm keeping a watchful eye over you. No, I'm not a guardian angel, I'm your worst nightmare._

_You may have escaped, but that doesn't mean there is nothing stopping me from_

_dragging you back. _

_Watch your back._

_Always._

_The note had sent shivers directly down her spine, resulting in her dropping the letter to the ground and rushing to pick up the closest phone. Once the receiver was in her hands, she dialed a number._

"_Katherine, it's time to put an end to all of this."_

_Elena hadn't called anyone in Mystic Falls in fear of them being either harmed or killed. It was a risk that she was not willing to take. _

_When Elena had called Stefan, he had immediately replied, "He's gone off the rails. I'll be home soon to help lay out a plan." It was a soft-toned, yet protective tone to his voice. _

_Katherine, on the other hand, wasn't so soft-spoken, "Ugh, the dickwad never was able to keep a steady relationship without the threats. I'll be there in a few." _

* * *

_Stefan had spent countless minutes thinking in the corner of the living room, biting his bottom lip as he pressed two fingers into his right temple. Elena twiddled her thumbs, watching as Katherine went to answer the door, Drake on her hip._

_Katherine pulled the door open, revealing Kalee whose eyes widened upon the sight of Drake, "Are you still willing to watch Drake?" Katherine asked, keeping Drake far from her._

_Kalee immediately nodded, "Yes, I just adore children." _

_Katherine rolled her eyes before walking into the kitchen to grab the diaper bag. She never liked the new neighbors, but this was a one-time thing that had to be done. She checked the surroundings for any signs of Damon, finding it secure. Her head twisted back to Kalee who was on her tippy-toes trying to see Drake, hidden behind Katherine's arm. _

_Katherine sighed before handing over Drake and the diaper bag, "You keep a good eye on him. We'll be sure to pick him up sometime soon."_

_Kalee smiled, cooing down to Drake, "Take all the time you need," She lifted her head up to see the seriousness in Katherine's eyes, "I'll take excellent care of him. No worries."_

_Katherine nodded hesitantly before watching Kalee leave the front steps and travel back to her home directly next door. Once she knew that they were secured behind a door, she closed the door and walked back into the living room, taking a seat across from Elena._

_They sat in silence for minutes, letting the clock tick by. Stefan had a sudden idea pop into his head in which he voiced out loud._

* * *

_Elena placed her legs beneath herself, trying to get a better hearing range of the speaker. She glanced over to Stefan, whose head was the only thing visible out of the entrance to the attic. _

"_Yeah, the sound and visuals are fine."_

_Stefan nodded before disappearing back down to the kitchen, only stopping to place a kiss on Katherine's forehead. He ventured over to the island where he grabbed his phone and quickly dialed his number._

_It took multiple rings before the person finally picked up, "What?"_

_Stefan frowned at Damon's greeting, "Hello, brother."_

_Damon snickered before bitterly asking, "What do you want?"_

"_I haven't seen you in over a year. Why don't you come to my home for dinner tonight?" Stefan crossed his fingers, hoping for a positive answer._

_There was a moment of silence before he answered, "What made you call out-of-the-blue?" There was a hint of annoyance in his voice._

_Stefan glanced over to Katherine who was listening in on the conversation. She narrowed her eyes towards him, until he replied back, "You're my brother, and family is always welcome at any time."_

_Damon's face twisted into a frown, knowing that his brother's sensitive side would win the silent battle, "Fine, but it may take me a while since I'm in Mystic Falls."_

_Stefan chuckled, "We both know you are not in Mystic Falls, brother." And just like that, he ended the call, leaving Damon bewildered._

* * *

_The 'honorary' guest had long since arrived, everyone gathered at the table. Damon was a total mess; half drunk and absolutely tired. Katherine was clearly disgusted by the sight, while Stefan began to pity him. Even so, she kept nervously eying the toy laying on the living room floor the entire night._

_It was hushed before Katherine asked, "Where's the family?" Stefan's eyes widened, while Elena nearly burst out laughing upstairs._

_Damon narrowed his eyes, lips curling outwards in aggravation, "Stop playing games. I know that she's here."_

_Stefan slipped out of the room and into the kitchen, needing to leave before it turned ugly. Katherine shook her head, "See, that's where you're wrong. She stayed here for a few days and then left. Said something about wanting to see the world."_

_Damon laughed, "Bullshit."_

_Katherine snorted, eyes narrowed, "Actually, we will be having chicken alfredo for dinner."_

_Stefan took that as his cue, "Dinner's ready." He called out before making sure he knew which plate was which. He smirked knowingly as he came upon the two seated at the table, Damon on the right and Katherine on the left. He placed the three plates before both of them and took his own seat. _

_Both Katherine and Stefan watched as Damon hesitantly bit into the chicken, immediately feeling dizzy. Unbeknownst to him, Stefan had slipped chloroform into the sauce, making him pass out almost instantaneously. _

_Everything went black._

* * *

_30 minutes later…_

_Damon cracked his eyes open, seeing nothing but the rays of light coming in through the window behind him in the basement. He tried to scream out, only to find that his mouth was gagged. Katherine emerged from the shadows, a wicked grin on her face._

_Stefan looked on from upstairs, Elena by his side on the couch as they watched from the security system on the television. _

_Katherine slowly encircled the chair in which Damon was tied to before stopping in front of him. As slowly as she could, she bent down so her face was equivalent to the level of his hand. Her eyes darted up to his for a split second before pulling his protection ring, watching his eyes widen. _

"_Ah, not so strong without your ring, are you now?" She asked, a wicked grin plastered to her lips. Back on her feet, Katherine walked towards the window, throwing the curtains open. The sun sizzled his skin, but he wouldn't crack, for he was too angry and far-out. _

_Shaking her head, she closed the curtains. Her feet ventured over to the table in the far corner, listening to him growl. Throwing the ring to the ground, she placed the gloves on and picked up the coil of ropes, soaked in vervain. The same, wicked grin came upon her lips as she walked up to him, carefully placing the ropes onto his skin. The ropes dug into his skin, sizzling each layer. He had to bite his tongue from calling out in pain. _

_He still wouldn't crack. Angered and frustrated, Katherine ungagged his mouth._

_She smacked him across the face hard enough to send his head flying to the right, "What the hell is the matter with you?"_

_He turned his face back to her, his left cheek red. An amused smirk was placed upon his face, "Nothing. What is wrong with you?"_

"_Shut the fuck up before I stake you clean through the heart." Katherine hissed, fangs bared. Damon threw his head back, laughing hysterically. Clearly irritated, she tipped the chair back far enough for him to choke on his own laughter. _

"_If it's games you want to play, then I have a fun game for you." Katherine kept the same frown on her lips as she walked back to the table, grabbing multiple blood bags. She spent the next few minutes hanging blood bags around the front of the chair, just out of his reach._

_His eyes grew dark, and a deep growl escaped his lips, "Bitch!"_

_Katherine snorted, "I am not a dog, you moron. Now, tell me why are you acting like this?" She crossed her arms across her chest awaiting his answer._

_Damon laughed, "Like what?" His eyes grew darker._

"_A sad prick."_

_Damon's smile faltered, "Sad? But I'm happy." He grinned, baring his fangs._

_Katherine leaned forward, "Listen. You have a child, barely a year old, and another kid on the way. Get your fucking act together or I'll make you wish you were never born."_

_Damon averted his gaze from hers, staring coldly at the wall._

* * *

The tear rolled down her cheek before Elena realized that dark clouds had begun to form, the rain beginning to pour down on them. She rushed to the closest exit of the park, now empty of people. Just as she reached the gates, a hand gripped her shoulder.

* * *

**A/N: Please know that I do not expect any more reviews than I have been getting for the past chapters. I truly am sorry for the selfish act. I hope this makes up for it!**

**Also, I need some help with the BABY GIRL'S NAME! I'm open to any suggestions!  
**


	8. Torture

The tear rolled down her cheek before Elena realized that dark clouds had begun to form, the rain beginning to pour down on them. She rushed to the closest exit of the park, now empty of people. Just as she reached the gates, a hand gripped her shoulder. Slowly, she turned around, feeling everything come to a halt…

* * *

_Damon averted his gaze from hers, staring coldly at the wall. Katherine, knowing that she wouldn't get much else from him, began to remove the chains. She gripped the edge of the chains, tearing them off roughly. His skin was sore as she broke the steel clamps off of the chair, allowing him freedom. _

_Without a moment's hesitation, Damon sped out of the basement, ignoring the two sitting on the couch, and out of the home. Elena, Katherine, and Stefan continued on with their lives, hoping that he wouldn't show his face again. Unbeknownst to them, Damon was watching the home, having rented the vacant apartment across the street. _

* * *

Elena's eyes shot open upon smelling the scent of pancakes. She shifted off of the bed, listening carefully to the sounds of pots and pans from the kitchen. It was unusual since she believed that she was the only person in the home at such a time, Katherine and Stefan already at work. With her head tilted to the side, Elena tip-toed downstairs, grabbing a candleholder along the way as a form of defense.

Her heart beat sped up when she came upon the entrance to the kitchen, brightly lit by the lights above. Inhaling sharply, she leapt forward into the kitchen, waving the candleholder around like a maniac, her eyes forced shut for some strange reason.

"Are you sleepwalking again?" Came a voice all-too-familiar. Elena froze, snapping her eyes open to a shocking sight. There before her was Jenna, cooking up breakfast, a smile on her angelic face.

Elena was immediately taken aback, which would be a healthy response to seeing your dead aunt in your kitchen, "Aunt…Jenna?" She asked, breathlessly.

Jenna turned around, spatula in hand and chuckled, "Hey, sleepyhead!" She gestured towards the plates on the table, "I made breakfast…well I attempted to. Take a seat."

Elena glanced to the table, seeing everything set up and two chairs already pulled out. It was surreal for her as she walked towards the table in a zombielike motion, taking a seat across from her aunt.

Jenna bit a piece of her pancake, watching her niece with curiosity. Once she swallowed her food, she pointed her fork towards the door, "I see Damon did something wrong."

Elena sighed, eying the food before her with hunger, "Understatement of the year." Giving in, she cut off a piece of the pancake and consumed it, savoring the taste of the butter and syrup as they glided against her tongue.

"That bad, ha?" Jenna placed the fork on her plate, straightening her back, "As your guardian-"

Elena cut her off, "More like ex-guardian, since Alaric is our guardian now."

Jenna chuckled before continuing, "I should tell you that you should patch things up for the sake of the children," Elena was about to cut her off once again before Jenna waved her hand, "But as a friend to you, I say you should make him suffer."

Elena cracked a wicked smirk, "How so, oh wise one?" She leaned back into her chair, listening intently.

"Every woman has a dark side. And it's time for you to find yours." Jenna stood up, enveloping Elena into a hug, "When you do find it, you'll know _exactly_ what to do."

Elena's eyes shot open, seeing the clock on the nightstand reading that it was eleven in the morning. She immediately sat up, searching the room for any signs of her aunt, but, to her utter dismay, Jenna was nowhere in sight.

After realizing that it was just a dream, she smirked wickedly before sliding off of the bed and walking to her closet.

20 Minutes Later…

Knowing that he was close by, she wore some pretty revealing clothing in which she had borrowed from none other than Katherine. She toddled to Drake's room, pushing the door open to see him fully awake and bouncing on the mattress of his crib.

"Hello, my little prince." Elena cooed, picking him up into her arms. She then walked downstairs where she placed Drake into the stroller for a jog in the local park, which was in bird's-eye view of the apartment Damon had rented.

* * *

Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of his face. His eyes were looking directly at the revealing clothing she was wearing before locking onto her frightened face. This woman would drive him crazy, and he surely knew it.

"What do you want?" She asked, stepping back a few paces, only to be stopped by Damon's grip on her forearms.  
"You." He susurrated. Elena lightly gasped when his grip increased.

"Let go of me." She hissed, eyes widening. In her mind she figured that she would have bruises tomorrow morning.

As if it were a savior from above, a voice called out from the distance, "Is everything alright, Elena?" The two looked towards the street to see Jeff in his car, a worried expression on his face.

"N-" Elena began, only to be cut off by Damon, "We're fine."

Jeff narrowed his eyes, "I believe I was speaking to Elena." She almost called out when Damon's grip increased immeasurably so.

Damon gave a glare towards him, "Get lost."

Jeff looked towards Elena who replied, "Please, Jeff. Just go." He nodded before hesitantly driving away.

Damon narrowed his eyes, "Found a replacement already?" His grip finally loosened on her arms.

'Torture him!' A tiny voice kept bellowing in her head.

She kept a serious face, "Yes." Knowing that she was going to regret saying that one word, she fluttered her eyes shut before glancing over her shoulder to where Drake was peaking his head out to see where his mother had gone to.

Damon scoffed, "Jeff is his name? How bland he was."

"At least he cares about me." Elena stuck her chin up, showing rebellion, even if she was lying through her teeth. Damon was about to speak when Elena cut him off, "I must be going. I have a doctor's appointment." Damon glanced down to her slightly showing stomach, eyes softening as he releases her, watching as she exits the park.

He was left to stand there, pondering on if he should go after her or leave for good.

* * *

"Would you like to know the sex?" The female doctor asked, a bright smile plastered to her lips.

Elena returned the smile, "Yes."

The doctor examined the picture carefully before concluding, "It's a little girl, Mrs. Salvatore." It took Elena a while to process the doctor's words, letting it soak in before she let everything out, completely breaking into tears.

The doctor handed her a tissue, not knowing what else to do, "Have you thought about any names?"

Elena frowned, "No, not yet."

**[A/N: See the last author's note.]**

Damon had walked into the office minutes ago, compelling the secretary to let him in. The woman had pointed towards the room far down the hall in which Elena was in. Walking down the hall, the sound of his boots colliding against the tiled floor rung throughout the hall. Not wanting Elena to know he was there, he stood outside the door, listening intently.

"It's a little girl, Mrs. Salvatore." The doctor, obviously female by her voice, announced. Damon's heart would have stopped if it was still beating.

How could he have neglected his own children?

His eyes began to burn as he sped out of the doctor's office, not being able to hear the sobs from Elena.

* * *

Elena rested her back against the headboard of her bed, having just put Drake to bed, she needed her rest. She was so stressed lately that she was actually worrying about the health of her baby girl. The first thought that came to mind was a name, her baby girl needed a name.

Making a mental note to dig out the baby names book, she finally fluttered her eyes shut, nestling into the pillow. Unbeknownst to her, a certain black crow was sitting on the tree branch just outside her cracked window, watching her sleep.

* * *

**A/N: As for the girl's name, I HAVE PUT UP A POLL ON MY PROFILE. There, you can vote for 1-2 names. I did a lot of research for the names, but if you do not like the ones I chose, simply PM me or leave a review. **

**Also note: the crow is Damon, as in the books, he turns into a crow, unlike the show where he only controls it. **


	9. Dream On

No drunken nights could numb the pain he was feeling. No women could wipe away the memory of the fear in Elena's eyes. He had caused every bit of this chaos, starting with his selfish actions. Why couldn't he just accept that he was going to be a father again? He had to turn to bourbon for aid instead of being there for his wife at her first doctor's appointment. It burned thinking about each tear she shed on his behalf. Damon was tired of causing pain. For once, he wanted to be the good guy.

Sitting back into the chair, he began to wonder how he had managed to slip into his little brother's home, but it then dawned upon him that the babysitter was not very bright, allowing him into the home when he came knocking on the door. It was a surprise that Elena had hired a babysitter to watch their son, but he brushed it off. He didn't go up to see his son just yet. His fingers tapped against the leather of the sofa he was occupying, glancing around the room. It had an uncanny resemblance to Stefan's bedroom back at the boarding house, which was now a nursery for the new baby, set up by Elena by herself. That hit another sore spot in Damon's heart thinking about how Elena had suffered through everything by herself. She was carrying his child and he was making her suffer day by day. It was utterly cruel more and more each time he thought about it.

It was only a matter of time before she walked through the door from going out on the town that morning.

* * *

Elena skimmed through the book, carefully turning each page with the pad of her pointer finger. The many names flooded her mind, her eyes slightly widening. After realizing the baby book she originally used for Drake was only boys' names, she went out to purchase another one, this time for girls. There were names like Paris and almost every famous city. Her eyes were drawn to the 'E' section, skimming through the hundreds of names. Emilia, Emma, Emme, Evangeline, Eden, Elisha, Elissa, etc.

Sitting in a coffee shop, Elena knew that she would have to go home soon, for she wouldn't be able to drink any coffee anytime soon. Gathering her purse and book, she made her way to the exit, only to be stopped by someone calling out to her.

"Elena."

She flipped around, seeing the familiar face, "Hey, what are you doing here?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "We got a break from college, finally. I found out you were here from Katherine."

Elena chuckled, wrapping her arms around her brother, not wanting to let go. Jeremy could see that something was bothering her, "How's my nephew?"

She smiled, pulling back a bit, "He'll be turning one in a week."

Jeremy glanced down to her stomach, "Another little nephew?"

She shook her head, "Niece."

He grinned before enveloping her into a hug once again, "It's so great to see you, Elena," She nodded against his shoulder, now realizing how tall he had become in the course of the summer, "You have my number. Use it if you need help or anything." She nodded again, before pulling away, trying to hide her tears.

"It's great to see you, Jer. I better get going." She waved before rushing out of the coffee shop, leaving Jeremy to ponder on why she was acting so distant.

Her eyes were fogged up, the tears threatening to stream down her cheeks. She chewed on the inside of her cheek, trying to focus on the road before her. It became harder as she recognized the street as her own. Turning onto the street, she furiously wiped the tears away before parking the car she had borrowed from Katherine in front of the home. There was an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She brushed it off before walking up to the door and pulling out her keys to unlock the door. The feeling became stronger as she worried about the babysitter she had hired. As quickly as she could, Elena unlocked the door and walked inside, placing her keys in the bowl on the table.

"I'm home." She called out, hoping the babysitter would walk out to greet her. To her utter disappointment, the babysitter didn't come, at all.

Elena walked into the living room, looking around the room from left to right. Once she reached the last sofa, her heart stopped, her gaze stopped moving. Gazes locked, Damon straightened his back before clearing his throat.

"I uh had the babysitter leave." Damon choked out, standing to his feet without breaking the gazes. Each step he took forward, Elena took a step back. It was as if everything he had strived to achieve had shattered in that moment. Each step forward resulted in a step back. By the time her back hit the wall behind her, her eyes were wide, the book long since dropped to the floor.

Damon eyed the book curiously, head tilted as he picked it up, finally breaking the game of staring into each other's eyes. His eyes skimmed the pages before him, wondering just what these names meant. They all started with an 'E' which led him to believe that she was planning the names without him. Another ache shot through his heart as his eyes shot up to meet hers, which were now wide with fright. As he took another step forward, she bolted towards the staircase, running as fast as she could go. Damon stood there, frozen. Everything happened before he even realized it.

Rushing up the stairs, Elena bolted into the guest room she shared with Drake. Forgetting about the door, she lifted up Drake, hugging him against her chest, not realizing the figure standing in the doorway, watching her with dull eyes. Locking gazes once again, she slowly backed up, not knowing where else to go. She didn't know his intentions, or if he was sane at the moment. All she knew was that she had to protect both of them.

Continuing this, she backed up until she was huddled into the corner, Drake now awakened by the sudden movements. Damon stayed by the doorway, not wanting to frighten her any more than he already had. It was bad enough that she was frightened of him and wanted to protect her son from him. Once her eyes were forced shut, silently praying for it to be over, Damon took that as the final straw and sped out of the house, ready to release all of the built-up sadness and self-anger on himself.

Once out of the house, he glanced around, trying to find where he could find the most convenient place to swallow down his sorrows. It came when he saw the dimly-lit sign, hanging on by a thread just down the block. It looked like another rundown place, but at a time like this, anything would do. Slowly, he ventured down the block, eyes directed towards the cracks in the ground. The cement was a reminder of himself, solid, yet with its faults. Inhaling sharply, he stopped, not being able to take any more of this.

He felt as if he was playing a game of chance. He had a choice to go to the bar, or be the better man and stay sober. As one foot ventured forward, the other stayed cemented to the ground, refusing to move. The constant teetering of falling off the cliff of sanity kept him in the game, wanting to end it, yet still playing along. What he never realized when he began this whole game was the woman in the middle, trying desperately to survive along with him; Elena. She was struggling just as much as he was.

Everything hurt as he came upon the apartment he had rented across the street from the home of his little brother. He threw one, last sad glance over his shoulder towards the home, wishing that things could have changed, wishing he could have been the better man to begin with.

But no, he went and took the easy way out. He was the one who messed everything up and just expected her to come running back into his arms. He wouldn't be surprised if he received divorce papers in the mail anytime soon.

His eyes widened as he saw her standing in the window, a blank expression on her face. The unneeded breath hitched in his throat at the sight of her. She had obviously been crying. Damon turned his head and quickly looked away, not wanting to see the pain he had inflicted upon her. It was devastating thinking about how he had pretty much damaged everyone in her life. Starting with the ones closest to her; friends and family. They all had begun to turn against her simply because she fell for the bad brother. He could smack himself for not realizing that she basically had no one. Her brother had gone off to college a week after the wedding, Caroline and Tyler were still around, but occupied with their lives, Bonnie had moved with Jeremy, and Alaric was around, but rarely talked to anyone anymore. He had not only dragged Elena, but had managed to drag everyone else down with him as well.

A lot of people depended on him, especially those close to him. And he had taken a sledge hammer and completely demolished everything. His one love was afraid of him, not allowing him to see their son, his friends gave him the cold shoulder.

He was all alone.

* * *

Katherine had managed the rest of the day off, calling Stefan to tell him that she would be making dinner that night. Upon reaching the home, she gathered her belongings from her car and headed inside. Not seeing Elena in the living room sent a little red flag off in her head; normally Elena was always waiting for Katherine for when she got home from a long day at work.

Using her vampire abilities, she listened for any signs of life inside the home.  
"Bingo." She whispered beneath her breath when she could hear a heartbeat upstairs. It worried her how Elena's heartbeat was beating so rapidly. Maybe something happened while she was gone.

By the time she reached the door to the guest room, her eyes had widened, rushing to Elena's side by the far corner. Sure, Katherine could be cruel, but that was only when she had to be. After finding her soul mate, she changed both inside and out. Wrapping her arms around Elena, she helped her to her feet.

"What happened?" She asked, taking Drake from her arms.

Elena was silent at first before she straightened her back, "He was here."

Katherine's eyes narrowed, "In the house?" Elena nodded, taking a seat on the sofa in the living room. It was as if someone had burnt her, for she quickly jumped up, realizing that it was the same chair he had sat in earlier. Katherine sighed before taking a seat across from her after placing Drake in the small playpen in the corner.

"He needs to stop this." Elena choked out, eyes dull and lost.

Katherine could only nod her head in agreement, not knowing what else to say.

* * *

Caroline watched helplessly as Tyler carried in the television he insisted on carrying by himself. She had just shrugged her shoulders before going off to read her magazine. It had been a while since Elena had called to keep her up to date.

"Have you heard from Elena lately?" She asked Tyler, putting her magazine down.

Tyler glanced over towards her before laying the television on the ground. With inhuman speed, he jumped onto the bed, "Nah, have you?"

Caroline rolled her eyes, "I wouldn't be asking, now would I?"

Tyler shrugged his shoulders, "I haven't seen her around either."

Caroline narrowed her eyes, "Alaric called yesterday, first time since God-knows-when by the way, and said he's been worried about her. She usually keeps everyone in the loop about what's been happening lately."

"Maybe she just forgot."

"She never forgets." Caroline lightly poked him in the arm, making him mock-play like he was hurt.

"Owe, I think you broke my ulna." He winced playfully.

Caroline rolled her eyes, "I poked your humerus, dummy."

He shrugged indifferently before growing serious, "I'll call Damon tomorrow and ask."

She stiffened at his name, "You still have his number in your phone?"

"Yeah, you don't?"

"Not after what he pulled." She glared at Tyler like he had just kicked her puppy.

* * *

**A/N: The results are in from the poll, and I'm sorry I didn't mention the winner in this chapter, but the winning name was:**

**Eden  
**

**So, her name will be Eden Lee Salvatore.  
**


	10. Soul of Fire

**A/N: It's finally summer! Doesn't it feel like this year has gone by so fast? Sorry for the delay; here's chapter 10. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

His head collided with the wall again, trying to force out any thoughts of her. The need for blood was overwhelming, so overwhelming that each time he spotted her in the window, a blank expression on her face, the only thoughts that rushed through his head were to have her intoxicating crimson blood glide against the surface of his tongue. It made him shake his head in frustration, eyes becoming darker each ticking second. The pitter-patter of the raindrops against the window was slightly soothing.

His eyes were forced shut as he rested his head against the wall, imagining a future without his wife. Nor a son to raise and watch grow up. He wouldn't be able to see him ride his bike for the first time, board the bus for school, get in trouble. He wouldn't be able to high-five him for getting sent to the principal's office for the umpteenth time behind Elena's back.

Elena.

Damon's eyes snapped open as he heard a door open and shut, using his vampire sense of hearing. Speeding to the window across the room, he could see her strapping Drake into his car seat before boarding the vehicle on the driver's side.

It was his chance, and he was going to take it. Mustering all of his strength, he sped downstairs, flew out the door, and into the middle of the street. Elena began pulling away in the Ford Sedan, not once glancing in the rear view mirror to see a frantic Damon in the middle of the street, hands on either side of his head. Damon spotted the dark blue car immediately. Without hesitation, he bolted after the car, reaching the front within mere seconds where he jumped onto the hood.

"Oh my God!" Elena bellowed, slamming her foot on the brakes. The tires couldn't make any contact with the road, hydroplaning. The car slid against the pavement, the whole event becoming too much for Elena to bear. She squeezed the wheel, eyes widening as she looked back to Drake who was wide awake, crying his eyes out. Damon had put his feet on the ground, trying his hardest to stop the car, but soon found that he could not. This would not end well. Once his feet were roughly grabbed by the pavement, he was flung off of the car and into the middle of the road.

His head bounced against the pavement, finally submitting to the looming darkness. The car continued skidding, Elena all the while never taking her eyes off of her son.

* * *

"_Do you not love me anymore?"_

_Her feet were crossed over one another, tucked beneath herself as she clapped her son's hands together, a forced smile upon her lips. The pain was evident, but even if her son was barely a year old, Elena could see that her son was far more intelligent than meets the eye. He had just gained his first set of teeth when he began flashing the same crooked smile as his father, the blue eyes making him seem like a mirror image of his father. Each time she looked towards her son, she had to bit her lip from bursting into tears._

_Her son was what Damon used to be, happy, enjoying the present life. Currently, he husband was the man he said he would never be; raging alcoholic, barely seeing his son for more than an hour during the course of each day, and never showing affection towards his wife besides the kiss upon her cheek in the morning._

_"I don't think this is a stage, Care. You've seen him go through his stages, we all have. They last for years."_

_Time utterly slowed down as her eyes locked with his, her foot leaping forward. The love of her life was standing before her, waiting to take her hand in marriage. The eternal bond was awaiting her at the altar. The man who had captured her heart with his net of wicked charm. The man who had created life with her. The man who had shattered her heart, only to sew it back together. The man who will forever be her eternal soul mate._

Elena blinked, reaching out to take her son's tiny hand.

* * *

Damon lifted his head up, immediately seeing everything as blurs. He lifted his hand up, not realizing his surroundings just yet. The bruises a human would have had from the impact were long-since healed as he rubbed his eyes, enhancing his sight. Blinking a few times, he was able to make out a billow of smoke from the thick patch of trees to his left.

At first thought, he believed it was a small forest fire. That was until he remembered everything.

Jumping onto the hood, the car coming to a dead halt before sliding against the slick surface of the road, being flung off of the car, the blackness taking over. It hit Damon like a ton of bricks being dropped mercilessly on the top of his head. Without thinking, he managed to his feet, stumbling at first, before speeding towards the forest.

The smoke was dense, making it very difficult for Damon to see two feet in front of him. He put his hands out, feeling his way around.

"Elena!" He called out, almost immediately thinking back to when he had come home to find something life-changing for him…

* * *

_Stumbling up the porch steps, he pushed the front door open. This actually came as a surprise; for Elena usually locked him out until he found another way inside. Leaning against the banister of the staircase, he called out, "Elena!"_

_Dead silence._

_He tilted his head, "Elena!"_

_Silence._

* * *

His heart fell to his stomach when he saw the Ford Sedan rested against a tree, completely upside down.

* * *

**A/N: Another twist, pretty common one though. Started this 11 at night and finished at 11:30, so sorry if it seems half-assed. **

**Anyways… tell me how you liked this chapter! Reviews help me with the writing process of the next chapter. Thanks for reading!**


	11. A Changed Man

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter! I've had this idea in my head, quite a crazy one. After someone asked for some Delena loving, I whipped up this idea. It may make some of you do a double-take, but trust me; it will all pull together in the end. Pretty please R&R, thanks!**

* * *

_His eyes were forced shut as he rested his head against the wall, imagining a future without his wife. Nor a son to raise and watch grow up. He wouldn't be able to see him ride his bike for the first time, board the bus for school, get in trouble. He wouldn't be able to high-five him for getting sent to the principal's office for the umpteenth time behind Elena's back._

_Elena._

* * *

Damon snapped his eyes open, almost gasping as he glanced around. He suddenly felt light-headed, looking towards the window.

_What had just happened? _

The curtains flowed along with the breeze, but upon further inspection, Damon could see that the windows were shut. He stopped dead in his tracks as he came upon this revelation. Each ticking second grew even weirder than the one before.

He shut his eyes, trying to remember the very peculiar vision that had overcame him just minutes before. He breathed in heavily as he recalled the last bit where he saw the pale face of Elena upside down in her car. He snapped his eyes open before speeding to the window. Her car was still parked in front of the home, the front door still closed, her bedroom light now flicked on, meaning she was preparing to head out.

Without hesitation, Damon sped to the home, not even bothering to knock as he rushed up to the bedroom where he had seen the light on. Luckily, he couldn't hear or see any signs of his brother or Katherine at the moment. Even if he did, there was a good chance that he would have just ignored him. He was a determined man with a goal set in mind.

His eyes softened as he silently nudged the door open, seeing the half-naked figure of Elena as she worked to find an appropriate shirt for the day. Her entire body tensed when she felt the icy fingers glide against her shoulders, drawing her to a still. Damon watched as his fingers grazed her soft, olive skin.

The breath was hitched in both of their throats as Elena shut her eyes when his fingers began to trace up to her neck. Truthfully, she wanted to run out of the room as fast as she could, another part of her was hoping that it was a dream, while the largest bit just wanted to enjoy the peaceful moment.

His fingers had made their way up to her cheeks before dropping down to her shoulders. Her eyes were still shut as he spun her around.

The warm breath brushed against her ear as he hoarsely whispered, "Forgive me, my dark princess."

Reality seemed to crash down on her head, snapping her eyes open, only to be drowned in the deep ocean that was his eyes. The lump in her throat grew as her heart dropped to her stomach. She had no clue what to say, being torn in half. Forgive him, the angel would scream while the devil would yell, let him suffer. She bit her lip, staring deeply into his eyes, "You have to give me time, Damon." And with that, she plucked the shirt from her dresser and walked out of the room, brushing her shoulder against his. The small amount of friction was enough to drive both of them crazy, just wanting to tear each other's clothing off and relieve the already climaxing sexual tension.

Damon sighed, knowing she would keep her word of having to think it over. He wanted to hear the words from her lips, wanted to feel the closure. It was killing him knowing that she still could not forgive him for his selfish actions. Thinking back to the vision, he realized she never would have crashed if it wasn't for him jumping onto the hood of the car, so he knew that she would be alright driving without him having to worry that she would be seriously hurt.

* * *

After finally making it to the town square, she pulled up to the nearest payphone and inserted the correct amount of coins.

She waited a good ten seconds before the person finally picked up, "Hello?"

Elena smiled inwardly, "Care, it's Elena. Sor-"

Caroline immediately cut her off, "Do you know how worried I was about you, missy?" Elena opened her mouth to reply, but she was cut off, "Are you alright? No one has heard from or seen you and Damon in God knows how long."

Elena sighed lightly, "I just needed a break," She clearly lied through her teeth, "So I went to Katherine's-"

"You went to _Katherine_!" Elena had to hold the phone away from her ear in fear of losing her hearing.

"Yes, Care, I did."

"And you still didn't call me? Don't they have phones there?"

Elena thought about her cellphone in which she had carelessly left at the boarding house, "I don't have my cell, plus the fact that there is no home phone. I'm sorry; I should've called you earlier."

Caroline paused, making it seem like she was thinking, "Just tell me one thing."

"What?"

"Do you want to talk about it?" Caroline asked after making sure Tyler was nowhere in ear-range.

Elena grabbed some more quarters from her pocketbook, checking on the still-sleeping Drake in the car which was parked directly next to the payphone before inserting them into the slot, "Talk about what?"

Caroline sighed, "You know what, Elena," Elena bit her lip, knowing the answer about to spew from Caroline's lips, "Damon." She cringed at the name, remembering their little encounter that morning.

Elena glanced in to Drake before replying, "Yes, I really need someone to talk to right now."

* * *

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Caroline asked suddenly.

Elena thought for a moment, "Emotionally, yes. Physically, no."

"I wish I was there for you more often."

"Don't beat yourself up about it. Nothing you could've done to stop him."

Caroline inhaled sharply, biting back the tears, "Everyone in this town knows that I've always disliked Damon, especially because of what he had done to me. But the truth is, Elena, I can't help but be grateful that he's kept you safe, alive, and has fallen deeply in love you. Every time I see him, he has a look of pure love in his eyes when he looks to you. True love never dies," There was a clearing of the throat before she spewed out, "Call me with the details." Then, she hung up.

Elena's eyes were like saucers as she tried to comprehend the words that came from her mouth. Like a puzzle, the words all came together to form the big picture. Even the person whom she believed disliked Damon the most knows that they're meant to be together. Her heart swelled just at the thought. Rushing to her car, she glanced back to Drake, taking his tiny hand in hers.

"Hey, big boy. We're going to go see Daddy."

* * *

Damon sat by the fireplace of the apartment he had rented, not daring to look towards the window. Each time he did, his patience would grow thinner, needing to know her answer. It was killing him.

The emptiness of his hand felt foreign since he almost always had a glass of bourbon wedged into his hand. His eyes darted to the clock, seeing the little hand on the one. The urge for alcohol was becoming overwhelming, so he bound to his feet and quietly walked to the door, grabbing his leather jacket off of the coat hanger before turning the doorknob to open the door.

The beating of three hearts stopped him immediately as he looked up from the ground, leather jacket clutched in his hand. Elena gasped as Damon's eyes grew wide with nothing but pure love. Before Damon could get a single word out, Elena placed the baby carrier on the ground and lunged towards Damon, planting several, passionate kisses on his lips.

She looked into his eyes after pulling back and whispered, "I forgive you."

* * *

**A/N: Yay for Delena! If you liked, loved, or hated this idea tell me in a review. Anything, including flames, are welcomed. **


	12. Home At Last

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews and for waiting for me to update. R&R please!**

* * *

She always believed in hope. Hope seemed to be the only thing she had when he had torn down her walls, leaving her emotions hanging dry in the air, allowing him to claw at them mercilessly. Hope was the friend that wrapped its arms around her when she was in her darkest place.

Now, as Elena gently fluttered her eyelids open, staring sleepily up at the white ceiling, the hope that her growing family would be able to unite had grown. She was stepping towards the future she had always dreamed of; a loving husband, children running around. The smile crept onto her lips as the beams of sunlight pouring in through the curtains danced against her skin. She racked her brain, trying to remember if their reunion was a dream or not. Her answer came not from her memories, but by the chill that ran across her body underneath the sheets from the cool breeze that came from the air conditioning. Sure enough, she was stark naked.

Wrapping the sheets further around her, Elena slowly and softly turned her head to the other side of the bed. An involuntary gasp left her lips when her eyes fell upon an empty pillow, the indentation of a head that had once slept there still present. She sighed, the worst scenarios coming to mind.

Suddenly, the creaks of floorboards echoed, resulting in Elena snapping her head towards the open door. Unfortunately, she could only see the shadows that danced on the wall from the person who was walking towards where Elena had placed Drake to sleep for the night. She didn't know this apartment too well, but she knew that it did not have too great of security. The maternal instincts jumped in, making Elena jump to her feet, having only the sheet wrapped around her body. Quickly, Elena grabbed the first thing she saw was closest to her; an empty glass vase. Holding the sheet with one hand and the vase held high in the other, she tip-toed down the hall, careful not to step on any of the slightly raised floorboards that she knew would create a creaking noise.

Her heart began to race as she came upon the doorway to where her son was sleeping.

Last night, in the midst of their kissing rounds, Elena knocked some sense into herself.

"_Wait," She pulled back from Damon, who immediately pouted his lips, "Don't give me that look," She pointed towards Drake, still asleep in his carrier, "I need to get the collapsible crib from the car." Breaking away from Damon's arms, she scurried out the door after instructing Damon to keep an eye on him._

_Damon nervously sat down, tapping his foot as he watched his son sleep. All the times he had consumed the alcohol because he had managed to believe his son would turn out like him came rushing back to him. The regret of not being there, leaving his wife to do everything by herself whilst she was carrying his unborn child, crashed down on him. He wanted to make everything up to her._

Her eyes narrowed before her chest heaved up, and, without a moment's hesitation, she leapt into the room, first seeing the darkened figure. She quickly drew her arm back and threw the vase directly at his head, resulting in the glass to shatter against his head. There was a soft howl before he flipped around, a hand clapped over his mouth to stop himself from waking up Drake. There was an inner war present in his eyes, the vampire instincts telling him to rip her heart out while his human sliver was instructing him to back off, allow her some time to process everything.

"Thanks for the wake-up call, kitten." Damon purred sarcastically, rubbing his bleeding head.

Elena widened her eyes, immediately fumbling out, "Oh man, I'm so sorry, Damon. I thought- I thought you were an intruder and with Drake I-"

Damon waved his hand, brushing it off, "Don't sweat it. It'll heal within a matter of minutes."

Elena nodded before walking to his side, seeing what he was looking at before she had thrown the vase. Her eyes landed on Drake, sound asleep in his portable crib. Damon stared down in awe, just as he had done minutes before.

Elena leaned her head against his shoulder, allowing him to run his hand through her hair.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Damon suddenly asked, pulling Elena out of her dream-state.

"What?"

"How we created this life; him." Damon smirked down to her when she snapped her eyes up to him.

She darted her eyes back to the sleeping infant, "He looks just like you."

Damon's smirk grew, "You think?" He wrapped his arms around her, drawing her in closer.

Elena nodded against his shoulder, "It's like looking at your _doppelgänger_." Damon laughed at this, and, without meaning to, woke Drake up, his tiny head coming forward, eyes wide as he surveyed where the sudden noise had come from. His eyes latched onto his father's gaze, cooing after seconds of silence.

Damon was about to reach his arms out when Drake nestled his head back onto his small pillow and drifted into a deep sleep.

Elena chuckled, "He has strange habits."

Damon took her hand, guiding her out of the room, closing the door behind them. Once they were situated on the bed, he took her hand in his, "We really need to talk."

* * *

"We really need to talk, Jeremy." Bonnie came out of the bathroom that same morning, her eyes puffy. She took a seat beside him, looking directly to him.

"Hm?" Jeremy glanced over from the television, immediately sitting up and enveloping her in a soft hug, "What's the matter, Bon?"

Bonnie inhaled sharply, "Promise me you won't get mad?"

Jeremy raised his eyebrows before nodding, "I promise."

After biting her lip, looking towards the wall, and then looking back to Jeremy's eyes, she gripped his hands, "I'm pregnant."

His jaw fell open, eyes wide.

Bonnie, suddenly feeling panicked, rushed out, "I know we're getting married in a few weeks, and we're only 23, so I-I understand if you want to leave me." She hung her head low, dropping her hands from his.

Jeremy snapped back into attention, "Leave you? Why would I ever leave you?" He took her hands again and showered them with kisses, "I love you no matter what."

An overwhelming amount of feelings rushed through her, finally she broke out into a smile, the tears of pure joy rolling down her cheeks.

* * *

Elena rested her head against the pillow, "I hope it's nothing too serious." Deep down, she felt this feeling of pure happiness. Immediately, she thought of Jeremy, for they always seemed to have a familial connection with their emotions.

Damon shook his head, "On the contrary. I just wanted to know something."

Her eyebrows rose, "Ask away."

He laid down as so his head was directly next to Elena's stomach, reaching out to rest his hand on the swell where his baby was safely nestled. He stayed quiet, waiting for the moment when he was rewarded with a kick. Elena watched on as he swirled his finger around her now-bare stomach, the baby joyfully kicking back wherever his finger trailed.

Damon smiled genuinely, "I was never told of the gender."

She frowned slightly before running her fingers through his raven locks, "A girl."

Damon snapped his eyes up to her face, breathlessly asking, "A girl?"

Elena nodded, her smile wide, "A daddy's girl."

He chuckled before resting his head against her stomach, listening carefully, his eyes shut. When his baby girl kicked again, he placed his lips on the flesh where her foot had been and kissed it, whispering, "I love you."

* * *

**A/N: Let's all say it, Awwwww. Cute, fluffy chapter. **

**Whether you liked, loved, or disliked the chapter, pretty please R&R!**


	13. Two of Us

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews. I would also like to add that an amazing story, Separate Beds by Cher Sue, has been nominated in the Energize WIP Awards. If you love her story, please vote for her!**

**I need to know if you guys want this to go any longer; right now I'm planning on ending this at 15 chapters. If you want it to go on longer or if you like the 15 chapter idea, please leave a review. Pretty please R&R!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries nor any of the characters associated with the show. I can only hope and dream that I can own Damon. *Dreamy sigh***

* * *

**Two Weeks Later…**

Elena curled her toes, bottom lip bit between her teeth debating whether she should step into the car or not. Her thoughts shattered when a hand rested on her shoulder. Her entire body tensed, hearing the small breaths from behind.

"What's got you glued to the ground?" The female voice asked, sliding her hand off of Elena's shoulder.

The crows resting on the wires above crowed, immediately catching Damon's attention as he rested his elbow against the roof of the car, staring up at the raven-feathered fowls. Elena kept her eyes locked to his face only twenty feet away, rummaging her mind for an answer to Katherine's question.

"I, ugh," She shut her eyes, thinking for a moment, "I don't know." Elena sighed, opening her eyes, "I'm going to miss this."

Katherine tilted her head, walking in front of her to rest on the side of the car, "_This_?"

Their gazes met before Elena glanced towards Damon who was finally seated in the driver's seat, twisted around to make faces at the now-giggling Drake.

She brought her voice down to a murmur that only Katherine could register, "I don't know if I can go back with- with him. What if he snaps again? I can't take kind of risk with Drake being around. I forgave him in my head, but I haven't fully forgiven him in my heart."

Katherine pushed off of the car, her eyes like stone, "That's what a marriage is, you take chances, stick by each other's sides no matter what. You learn to fully forgive over time." The words soaked into the crevices of Elena's mind, carving into the surfaces to be fully understood. She slowly nodded while watching the conflicting emotions on Katherine's face as she hesitantly stepped forward, debating her next move. The seconds ticked by, Elena's eyes dropping down to her feet before snapping back up in surprise to the speedy movements of Katherine quickly and awkwardly wrapping her arms around her doppelganger before stepping back.

She cleared her throat, avoiding all means of eye contact, "You take care, Elena."

Elena smiled, realizing for the first time that Katherine was a changed woman, altered by her love for another. The smile tugging at her lips as she twisted around to watch Katherine enter her home was that of genuine happiness for her once-bitter doppelganger whom she had grown to know as an almost long-lost comforting mother. She untwisted her hands from their scrunched position in front of her, her eyes locked onto Damon, glancing into the rearview mirror to the giggling Drake, returning the chuckles.

She had to take a chance for the sake of her son, that much she knew. But returning the house she shared with the very man whom she had been fearful of seemed preposterous. Shaking the thoughts from her head, she cleared all emotions from her face, a trick she had gradually learned, and opened the passenger-side door.

Damon leaned to the side, trying to see her face as she stood there, the door still open, "Getting in?" He asked, eyes pleading.

Elena bit her bottom lip before glancing between her son and her husband. She could run away.

_And leave Drake in the hands of him? Ha, never._

Her eyes fluttered shut before slipping into the passenger's seat, allowing Damon to take her hand in his as he drove off, honking the car horn to Katherine, watching them from the second floor window.

Katherine crossed her arms over chest, "He's a fucking moron." She rolled her eyes before heading off to get ready for work.

* * *

There was a part of her that wanted to open the car door and jump out, the other half screaming at her that she couldn't leave her son with Damon who was most likely teetering on the edge of snapping again. Her head was rested against the window as she stared out into deep abyss of the dark forest. The sunlight didn't seem to put a dent in the obscurity of the eerie forest. Her emotions were running wild, she didn't have a clue which emotion she was actually feeling.

Deep down there was a faint happiness, a strange feeling at a time like this. Her eyes darted to the back of the car where her son was sleeping soundly.

Damon saw her sudden jerky movements, "Are you alright?"

Directing her gaze back to the road, she numbly nodded, "I'm fine."

The frown curled Damon's lips downwards as he continued driving on, closer to reaching home.

Home. The word tasted sickly sweet on his tongue. Ever since Elena left, taking Drake with her, the large house felt sinisterly empty, taunting him about not having his family. He had tried his hardest to avoid stepping foot in the house, the memories too much for him to handle.

"I missed you." He blurted out, oblivious to Elena's shoulders tensing at his words.

She looked towards his face, still facing the road, "Really?"

Damon cleared his throat, not thinking that she had heard him, "You have no idea. It was torturous." Her shoulders dropped, wanting so desperately for him to say those two words, the two words that would finally make her heart absolve him.

Her eyes softened before resting her head back on the window, trying her hardest to think things through. The future of their family rested solely in her hands. Walk away or embrace the risky life with Damon.

* * *

The shadow that the house cast upon the two was dark and not in the least bit welcoming. Elena glanced down to Drake who was safely rested upon her hip, wiggling in excitement. Damon walked back from bringing their luggage into the home, hands pushed into the pockets of his jeans. He halted any further steps, watching as she glanced warily up to the house, her bottom lip quivering slightly. His eyes hardened, remembering the ordeals she had faced.

Cursing himself beneath his breath, he walked up behind her, hesitantly wrapping his around her shoulder, not wanting to startle her. She snapped her eyes to his, her brown ones brimming with tears.

He could feel that she was looking into his soul, trying to figure out if he was actually a changed man. But it seemed that she was still unsure as she slowly stepped away, walking up the path into their house. Damon stood there, pondering as to how he could win her trust as well as complete love back. It was one thing when she felt safe back in Lexington, surrounded by Katherine and Stefan, but when she was alone with the man who had driven her away to that town, Elena was an emotional mess, not knowing if she could live on like this anymore.

* * *

After settling Drake in, Elena made her way back downstairs, hearing the clinking sounds of pots and pans from the kitchen. She didn't even bother a glance towards the room, rather continuing on with her path to the living room.

Her eyes bore holes into the very couch that, just a while ago, she had been sleeping on.

"_Do you have any idea what time it is?" She asked, hands on her hips as he walked into the home at one in the morning._

_He stumbled up the staircase, the same, grim frown plastered to his lips. Elena was following him with each step until they reached the edge of the bed where he flopped onto the mattress._

_His body took up nearly the entire bed, so, with a giant huff, she asked, "You don't expect me to sleep on the couch, do you?"_

_The only response was the steady snore that emitted from his lips. Her entire face dropped at the sound. How could he expect his pregnant wife to sleep on the hard couch?_

_Elena's eyes began to burn as she slowly descended down the stairs, her feet barely grazing the wood of the steps. Once she reached the foot of the couch, her eyes darted towards the top of the staircase, hoping that he would be standing there, a wicked grin plastered to his face as he announced that it was all a big joke. And that she could relax into the large, comfortable mattress upstairs._

_But that never happened._

She bit back the tears, sitting down on one of the other leather couches, just to rest her already sore ankles. This pregnancy was a lot tougher than when she was carrying around Drake; the non-stop weird cravings, throbbing backaches as well as headaches. It was a long rollercoaster ride that Elena seemed to be tossed around inside the cart.

Damon leaned against the counter, trying to see where Elena was. He immediately caught sight of her huffing as she tried to sit up from lying on the couch. Not wanting her to hurt herself, he sped into the parlor, resting his hand on her back to help her sit up. Elena glanced up, smiling in appreciation. Damon swallowed the lump in his throat as he stared down to her swollen stomach. Seeing his face, she reached out for his hands and hastily placed them on the spot she knew that their baby girl would kick. Sure enough, Damon's eyes widened as he felt the powerful kick of his unborn daughter. Before Elena could savor the moment, he pulled away, not looking into her eyes.

His lips parted to uncharacteristically mumble out, "I gotta get started on dinner." Elena blinked a few times, staring off towards the wall as Damon walked back to the kitchen, turning on the faucet full-force so he could momentarily block out the sound of the three beating hearts. He needed to think for at least a minute without the alluring of the pumping of blood through each of their veins getting to him. He needed to tell her, no more waiting.

* * *

Elena gratefully slipped into bed, nestling her head against the pillow. She had requested that Damon sleep on the couch just for the night, partly being because she wanted him to know what it felt like to sleep on the hard surface and also because she would feel more comfortable this way, having spent nearly a month at Katherine's home, sleeping alone. As soon as she flicked the lights off, the darkness engulfing the room, she missed the feeling of having his arms wrapped around her, the feeling of being safe. Her heartbeat picked up for some strange reason she did not have knowledge of. She rested her hand on her stomach, trying to fall asleep, but finding that she couldn't.

Down below, an equally-sleepless Damon tossed and turned, attempting to tune out the quickening heartbeat from above. The couch was, to say the least, uncomfortable. He felt as if he was sleeping on a plank of wood. Sighing, he sat up, gazing out into the darkness of the room before glancing up toward the ceiling as if he could see her, knowing that she too was having trouble falling asleep.

He jumped to his feet before saying, "To hell with it."

* * *

It wasn't until she felt the sudden shift of weight on the bed that Elena realized there was someone in the room. Before she could turn around, a head was rested on the crook of her neck, their hand snaking around to rest on top of hers. As soon as she inhaled his scent, Elena knew who it was.

The words she were about to say would have to wait a minute longer, as Damon began to whisper into her ear, sending shivers down her spine, "I'm sorry."

The wait was over.

* * *

**A/N: Did you like, love, or dislike? Tell me in your review!**


	14. Time Will Tell

**A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews! Unfortunately, I will be forced to use the 15-chapter idea due to a tight schedule (which is why I took so long to update this) with rehearsals. If I had gone longer, I would have had to make you guys wait extended periods of time which would have been long and would have sucked for you guys. I will try my hardest to update 'Rock the Ballet' as soon as possible, maybe write out a few chapters ahead of time. Sorry if I disappointed you guys! **_**Pretty please R&R since reviews help with the writing process.**_

_**Fair Warning: There is smut (or whatever you want to call it) in this chapter!**_

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**Chapter 14:**

**Time Will Tell**

* * *

Rain was soothing, but nothing compared to the massaging power that the patter of droplets from the shower spigot had over her. Each tap against her scalp soothed away the worries before they came tumbling back. As she twisted this way and that, trying to get each sore part of her body kneaded, she found the soft moans emitting from her mouth growing louder. Her arms had small bruises from when she would wake up from a terrifying nightmare digging her nails into the soft flesh of her arms.

Most nightmares consisted of a graphic vision of Damon holding their newborn daughter before feeding from her. Elena knew, of course, that he would never harm his own child, let alone a baby, but she still found the dreams eerily realistic.

Reaching her hand up, she grabbed the portable showerhead before bringing it down to her leg. Her calves especially were sore from running in the park in Lexington on a daily basis. She had exhausted herself behind belief while she was residing with Katherine. Damon must not have noticed, she kept telling herself.

As she placed the showerhead back on the holder, Elena leaned forward a bit, keeping her eyes shut. Damon's large shower came in handy for when you needed to rest a bit. There was a sudden rush of cool air minutes after she had sat down, eyes still shut. Her back was on an angle facing the bathroom door, so Elena could feel like she had privacy if someone were to accidentally walk into the bathroom. Since there was no door to the shower, which Elena noted as a ridiculous idea in the first place, she was completely vulnerable to peeking eyes.

The cool air was immediately replaced with the warm mist that came from the cascading water as she sat comfortably in the shower. Her legs shivered when she felt a cold brush down the inside of her thighs. Still, she did not open her eyes, pinning it to some silly excuse. The brush worked its way up to her folds, instantly making her snap her eyes open. She was greeted with a smirking face.

"Damon!" She yelped, clamping her legs shut.

His lips formed a pout, "Aw, we were just having a little fun." There was a wicked gleam in his eye as he slowly crouched down, eyes locked onto hers.

Elena swallowed the knot in her throat, entranced by his eyes, "We?"

Finally breaking the gaze, he glanced down to his lower half. Elena glanced down, seeing what he meant by 'we'. The small gasp escaped her mouth as she snapped her gaze back to his. In a split-second, he had captured her lips with his, slowly leaning her back onto the rough-textured wall. Their breaths were jagged with skin against skin. His hand slowly ran through her hair which cascaded down her back, continuously running his fingers along her spine until reaching the beginning of her leg. He slowly traced down her thigh, turning inward until he was towards the inside of her thigh.

Elena's eyes snapped open when his mouth left hers and he carefully picked her up. At first, she moaned in protest before Damon placed a finger against her lips, "The water was getting cold," he said as he shut the faucet off. Walking towards the bathroom door, he had Elena open it since his arms were full at the moment and made his way towards their vacant bed.

With lust and fire in his eyes, he laid her down onto the mattress, carefully leaning over her. Elena was frozen as she stared up into his eyes, the eyes of her husband. Just a while ago, she had been looking up into deep black, not sure where her husband had disappeared to. And now, the icy blue had returned, the love pouring out with each ticking second. Breaking the gaze, he slid down until he was eye-level with her, bare swollen stomach. Placing butterfly kisses in every spot possible, he smiled genuinely, whispering softly, "Daddy loves you with all of his heart," He then laid his hand on the center, "Just don't tell Uncle Stefan that Daddy has become a softie." Elena giggled before Damon used his unfair advantage of vampire speed to get out of his clothing.

Her eyes widened when he suddenly appeared on top of her, the tip of his erection poking at her entrance, "Are you ready?" He asked, huskily.

Elena's eyes were lost, her mouth beginning to dry. It was all building up to this moment, "Yes," She looked up, "I love you, Damon." He searched her face, not knowing how to reply. Gripping the headboard to keep from harming her or their child, he gently pushed inside of her, making Elena gasp at the slow friction. It was like rubbing your feet against carpet, slowly building up to the moment when you touched the door handle and received a sharp, yet strangely exciting zap. She dug her fingernails into his back, enticing him to go faster. Taking the hint, he quickened his pace, digging deeper inside of her until the wood was banging against the wall.

The deep scratches on his back had begun to bleed just before they healed, allowing her more area to scratch at. It seemed the pain pushed him further. Not wanting to lose control, he picked her legs up, feeling her walls beginning to tighten around his member. The hissing from deep within her throat could be heard as he placed her leg on his shoulder, allowing him to go further inside of her.

And the moment when it seemed that the world exploded before her very eyes was the most thrilling moment. Her vision blurred slightly as she gripped his shoulders, drawing him forward until his face was rested in the crook of her neck. Damon continued pushing inside of her until he began to reach the peak of the mountain where he plummeted off, spiraling into an orgasmic world.

His entire body shook as he tried his hardest not to fall on top of her, eyes nearly rolling into the back of his head. The words were barely audible, but she still heard them. Those three, luscious words, "I love you."

* * *

There were beads of sweat still cascading down her body as she finished buttoning her shirt. It was more Damon's, but ever since she began not fitting into her maternity clothing, Elena switched to wearing some of his flannel shirts. She couldn't help but run her hand down the soft sides, "I love this shirt." She glanced over to Damon who was in the middle of putting his pants on with currently no shirt on to cover his glorious abs.

He glanced over his shoulder before smirking, "It seems that my clothing suits you more than me." Elena let a chuckle escape her lips before thinking about what he had hoarsely whispered before.

"Did you mean it?" She asked suddenly, turning her head to look at him.

After buttoning the last button on his shirt, he slid into the bed next to her, "I'm guessing that by it you mean the confession of my love?" He smiled, knowing that it would take Elena a few seconds to think what he just said over.

She thought for a moment, "Did you mean it?" Her bottom lip was jutted slightly outwards in curiosity, a habit she picked up.

Bringing his hand up, he traced the outline of her lips with his index finger, snuggling closer to her, "Of course, kitten." The smile was tugging at his lips as her eyes sparkled. Her bottom lip slightly quivered from retaining the beaming smile she so wanted to present. She had waited so long to hear those words, three simple words.

Before either could enjoy the moment any further, Damon's eyes snapped over to the digital clock on the nightstand behind Elena. Sighing, he glanced down to her, a small frown on his lips, "I wish we could enjoy this moment longer, but I need to head out for some… work with the council." He hated lying to her face, but it had to be done. With much hesitation, he slipped out of the bed and slung his leather jacket over his shoulder, looking back with a saddened glance to the pouting face of Elena, wrapped up in the blanket.

"Be safe." He said before speeding out of the room to his car.

* * *

"'Bout time you got here."

Damon rolled his eyes after pressing the lock button on the keys to his car. His feet traveled towards the figure beneath the tall tree. This definitely wasn't council work, but it still was important, or as he was told, "What's up, Gilbert?" He asked, settling in next to the timid younger Gilbert. He took in the appearance of the young man before him. It was clear that he was having trouble sleeping, "You look like shit."

Jeremy scanned the park for a second before looking towards Damon, cutting straight to the point of this meeting, "Thanks," He replied sarcastically, "Bonnie and I are coming back to Mystic Falls."

Damon straightened his back, curiosity taking over, "Why?"

Shifting uncomfortably, you could see the inner war within his eyes before he spoke, "Bonnie's pregnant."

Damon cracked a smirk before clapping him on the shoulder, "Damn, it seems everyone's passing the family name on." Jeremy let out a nervous laugh, averting his gaze. Damon cocked an eyebrow up, "What's with the edginess?"

Jeremy tensed, not realizing that he was that easy to read, "I don't want to be a screw-up." Damon's eyes softened, knowing exactly how he felt.

"I felt the same way when I found out that we were having Drake. I didn't want to be like my father," He rested his hand on Jeremy's shoulder, "Talk it over with Bonnie. Elena helped me through all of my mixed emotions. Trust me, just talk to her." His phone vibrated in his pocket, so he pulled it out, reading the text message.

Jeremy nodded before looking Damon in the eyes, "Thank you."

* * *

Pulling her phone out of her purse, she couldn't believe that she hadn't told Damon about this. Before the doctor could walk in, she quickly sent him a text message.

_We have a doctor's appointment at 12:30._

_Millville Obstetrics_

Slipping her phone back into the front pocket of her purse, she managed a scan of the room. The color of the room was in dire need of updating, the posters of the stages of growth of the fetus were kind of unnerving the first time she came here for Drake, the paddle fan was shaking slightly as it spun at full-speed. Elena felt as if she had walked right into the 80's. She couldn't help but wonder if Damon would show or not.

Minutes had passed before the door opened, Elena fully expecting to see the doctor. The shock of her life came when a certain blue-eyed, raven-haired man walked through the doorway, a small smile on his lips.

"Damon?" Her eyes slightly narrowed, trying to think if she was seeing correctly or not.

"Elena?" Damon asked, mocking her asinine question.

She smiled, gesturing towards the chair by her side, "Sit. The doctor should be in soon." Complying, he sat down in the chair, twiddling his thumbs.

Low and behold, Doctor Morgon walked in, a clipboard in hand. **(A/N: Does everyone remember him? He's the hottie doctor.) **Glancing up, he stiffened slightly at the sight of Damon.

"We meet again." Damon said through slightly-clenched teeth. This man was the rival, well in his eyes he was.

Doctor Morgon nodded slightly before smiling towards Elena, "How are we today, Mrs. Salvatore?"

_Mrs. Salvatore? He never calls me that. _Elena's eyebrows rose.

Damon smirked inwardly before crossing his arms over his chest. _That's more like it._

She rested her hand on her swollen stomach, "She's been kicking a lot, so I haven't gotten too much sleep lately."

Doctor Morgon nodded, "That's completely normal. At 7 ½ months, the child is very active."

Damon looked on, slightly lost in the conversation, "Will we be able to see her?"

The doctor glanced over, green eyes shimmering, "If you mean the ultrasound, yes." The couple before him both shifted from edginess and excitement. Damon mulled this over, for he would be able to see his daughter for the first time. This would be the umpteenth time that Elena has seen their little baby, but for him, it was an entirely-new experience. It would be a jump up from feeling her move from within her mother. Now, he could put a face to the movements.

Doctor Morgon had Elena change before he came back into the room and began setting up the ultrasound equipment. The blue gel sent small shivers down her spine, but the hand that had slipped into hers was warming her, even if his hand was as cold as the gel placed on her stomach. His eyes locked onto the screen, waiting for the moment his whole perspective of the life within her changed.

And that moment came when the doctor smiled, pointing out the face of their baby girl.

"Look, she's waving." Doctor Morgon's smile grew as he pointed to the small hand waving around. Elena drew a sharp breath in to keep the tears from cascading down her cheeks. Damon's grip on her hand grew, overwhelming feelings washing over him.

Leaning forward, Damon placed a small kiss on her temple, whispering into her ear, "I love you."

Elena couldn't help but let the tears fall.

* * *

**A/N: Whether you liked, loved, or disliked this chapter, pretty please leave a review. Reviews help me with the writing process!**

**Next Chapter: ****Welcome to the world Eden!**


	15. It All Comes Together In the End

**A/N: This finale is dedicated to every single one of you.**

* * *

"**Every end is a new beginning." **

* * *

**Chapter 15:**

**It All Comes Together In the End**

* * *

**Damon's Point of View**

The weeks had passed like a candlelight in the wind. Drake was progressing quickly with his growth, as was the little one yet to be born into the world. Always carrying around a sonogram had its effects on me, especially when I flip into a panic mode, realizing that my eternity of being forever single had come to a screeching halt. Somewhere after the hyperventilating and pacing, I would reach into my pocket and take out the small paper to gaze at the life I had taken part in creating. One more week and I would be able to hold my baby girl.  
Elena had kept me in the dark on the subject of her name, saying that she "had everything under control." Very reassuring, I thought sarcastically.

Stepping into the nursery, I peeked through the bars of the crib from afar to see that Drake was in the early process of waking up. His feet shifted as his eyes cracked open, revealing the stunning blue ocean beneath the fluttering eyelids. The chuckle remained at bay when his head rose, glancing around the room warily. His eyes finally laid upon my face, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

Damn, he's my Mini-Me in every, single way.

Pulling out my own smirk, I walked towards the crib where he had managed to his feet, arms raised up in the universal sign to be picked up. Plucking him from the crib, I rested my hand beneath his bottom, so I could see his face. His raven hair was ruffled, ends flying in different directions, eyes were shimmering, and the right side of his face was red with the indentations from the sheets, showing he had just woken up from a long slumber.

"Hey, Mr. Man." I smirked, knowing that Elena disliked the nickname I had tagged him with. His eyes were wide as he took in every detail of my face. I guess it was something toddlers did. Walking towards the changing table, I quickly checked his diaper, finding it spotless, before dressing him in the usual attire; tan cargo pants, black button-down shirt, the combat boots I had gotten him, and the leather jacket. It seemed to take longer and longer each time I dressed him with all of those squirming he did. He was always reaching for this or trying to crawl away to get to that. Huffing, which immediately got him to snap his eyes to my face, I picked him up and made my way towards the main bedroom.

Peeking inside, I could see Elena still fast asleep in the same position as I had left her; on her back. There was really no other way for her to sleep since the large baby bump got in the way or made it uncomfortable for any other positions to sleep in. Drake sleepily rested his head on my shoulder, trying to stick his thumb in his mouth, but finding that my neck got in the way. Continuing down the hall, I quietly made my way down the staircase, trying to keep a fussy Drake from throwing a fit.

Grabbing his diaper bag, I walked out the front door and towards my Camaro. I was so… lucky that the Camaro had backseats, or Elena would've dragged me to the closest car dealership to buy a minivan.

Once Drake was settled into his car seat, I got myself situated, glancing into the rearview mirror to see him bouncing in excitement. There's something about cars that makes him eccentric. Turning the key, the engine roared to life, bringing out the racer in me.

* * *

Elena stretched her arms, eyes still closed as she tried to snuggle into the comforter. The bell on the alarm clock sounded just as she had managed to slip into her dream world. With a giant huff, she raised her arms before slamming them down onto the blanket.

"Dammit." She hissed, eyes snapping open. Breathing in sharply, she put all of her might into sitting up before sliding off of the mattress. Taking a whiff of the air, she didn't smell the usual scent of pancakes. She spun around, expecting to see him still asleep, but instead, found a pile of blankets.

_Great, _she thought, _where the hell did he go?_

Now wasn't the time to panic since she knew that he was probably out-and-about town. The sudden realization that Drake's screaming didn't wake her up clicked in her head. Slipping into her slippers, Elena walked down the hall to the nursery. The wooden door was open, allowing her easy access to the room. Walking towards the crib, she peeked over, finding it empty.

For a moment, she panicked, the motherly instincts kicking in, but then the feeling of utter relaxation overtook her entire body. It felt foreign as she shuffled towards the bathroom on the other end of the hall, and began to fill the tub up with warm water. Her fingers grazed against the surface of the water, watching the trails of bubbles follow her fingers. Smiling warmly, Elena slipped out of the nightwear and slowly submerged into the warm water, letting the small waves soothe her tired muscles. Nine months of backaches, swollen ankles, and mood swings, she was proud of herself.

Grabbing a small towel from the rack, she placed it behind her head for further relaxation. Her fingers twirled around the water as she closed her eyes, letting time pass.

It wasn't until the clocked chimed ten o'clock that she snapped her eyes open from sudden and rough movements from the little one. Resting her hands on her stomach, she gasped when she felt the baby kick the hardest she had ever felt. It was strange how the area from which the kick came from was lower than usual. Shrugging it off, Elena carefully rose to her feet and got out of the tub.

Putting on a different pair of pajamas and her slippers, she walked downstairs where she made herself a healthy breakfast. After finishing her meal, she placed the dishes in the sink and shuffled towards the living room. The large television clicked on as she situated herself on the leather couch. She thought back to Bonnie's wedding, how she absolutely glowed, and how proud Jeremy was. She was so overjoyed to find out that she was going to be an aunt in a few months.

Time ticked by slowly, Elena slowly falling asleep. Her eyes snapped open when there was a sticky, wet sensation between her legs. The all-too-familiar feeling had her to her feet, looking down at her soaked pajama pants. Panicking, she grabbed the closest phone and dialed Damon's number. After three rings, the call went to voicemail, which had her cursing under her breath.

Throwing the phone onto the couch, she shuffled towards the door where Damon had placed the hospital bag just in case. Gripping the handles, she carefully picked it up and grabbed the keys to her car.

* * *

I bit back the laughter as I watched Drake's nose crinkle up when the hairdresser cut off a few of his raven locks. I was surprised that the kid wasn't throwing a fit by now, since he was pretty defensive about his hair. Guess he knew that he was beginning to look like a shaggy dog.

Once the hairdresser finished blow-drying his hair, I picked him up and paid.

"You're looking pretty dapper." I chuckled, watching as he jabbered in baby-talk while I strapped him into his car seat. Slipping into the driver's seat, I quickly checked my phone. Immediately, a knot formed in my throat when I saw two missed calls; one from the boarding house and another from Elena's cellphone.

Picking up speed as I drove, I dialed Elena's number.

"Hello?" A very agitated Elena answered.

"Are you okay? I saw that you called twice." I bit my bottom lip, expecting backlash for not answering.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I sighed in relief, "Besides the fact that my water broke!"

The foot on the accelerator pushed down further, going over the speed limit of fifty by thirty miles per hour. "Are you at the hospital?"

"No, but I'm on my way." She inhaled sharply.

"I'll be there, Elena." I said before ending the call. Dropping my phone into the cup holder, I looked into the rearview mirror to find that a police officer was trailing behind me, obviously running my license plate. I took an unnecessary breath before pushing the accelerator farther, now going ninety.

The officer flicked his lights on, letting the siren roar. Police officers bugged me at the wrong times. Seeing the entrance for the highway, I took the exit with a sharp turn, making sure to look back at Drake who was smiling. Darting around cars, I took three more exits until I was on the road to the hospital. The police officer had managed to catch up, now bellowing for me to pull over.

Rolling my eyes, I pulled into the hospital parking lot, parked the Camaro and waited for the slow-ass police officer to get out of his vehicle. His face was slightly red when he walked up to my window and leaned in to see if I had others in the car. Sure enough, he spotted Drake and raised an eyebrow towards me.

"Do you have any idea how fast you were going?" He asked, beyond frustrated.

I raised my hands defensively, "Hey, you can't blame me. My wife's mood swings reach a high when she goes into labor."

The officer's eyes softened before he let out a chuckle, "Same way when my wife had all three of my kids," He straightened his back, "Just be careful driving, alright, Speed Racer?"

I rolled his eyes before nodding, watching as the officer walked back to his car and drove off.

* * *

"Mrs. Salvatore," Elena didn't dare open her eyes as another contraction hit, "We'll need you to start pushing soon."

She furiously shook her head, "No! Damon's not here yet!"

"But Mrs. Salvatore-" The nurse began to plead.

Elena cut her off, "I said no, dammit! Not until my husband is by my side!" Her face grew immensely red, eyes forced shut. An overwhelming sadness flooded through her veins at the idea of Damon not being by her side when their daughter was welcomed into the world. That thought shattered when a cold hand slipped into hers, gripping it tightly.

Her eyes snapped open, frantically looking to her right, "Damon, God, you're here." She breathed out in relief before inhaling sharply, another contraction crashing down upon her. The nurses nervously glanced towards her.

Damon remained calm, even when her grip on his hand nearly crushed the bones. He needed to be calm and collected for her, even if all he wanted to do was panic. Kissing her temple, he leaned his forehead against the side of her head, whispering, "I'm always here."

She could feel the tears stinging her cheeks as her hormones kicked in just as the doctor informed her to push. Pushing with all her might, she hissed, "Sweet Jesus! After this Damon, I swear I will personally perform a vasectomy on you!"

Damon's eyes widened as he looked up to the doctor warily. Doctor Zhou shook his head, "Trust me, I've heard worse." Looking up to Elena, he instructed, "Only a few more pushes, Mrs. Salvatore."

Elena shot a glare towards the doctor, "Shut up, Jackie Chan!"

Damon smirked inwardly before whispering words of encouragement, seemingly calming her down. The final push came, and when the silence filled the room, the tiny screams of a newborn was heard.

* * *

_Time softly slowed down, the hand on the clock beating ever so slowly. As the joyful sound of the newborn's cries filled the air, the tears began to spill over. Her cheeks were bright pink, from both exhaustion and pure bliss._

_"It's a healthy, baby boy!" Doctor Morgon proudly exclaimed. The nurses all sighed in relief as the death grip Elena had on their hands alleviated._

* * *

Damon exhaled the breath he didn't realize he had been holding when his eyes laid upon the bloody body of his daughter.

"It's a girl!" One of the nurses announced, beaming with smiles.

Showering Elena with kisses, he asked, "Will you tell me her name now, kitten?"

Elena smiled weakly, eyelids fluttering, "Eden Lee Salvatore."

Damon smiled before kissing her, only to be interrupted by the tap on his shoulder, "Would you like to cut the umbilical cord?" The nurse asked with a beaming smile.

He numbly nodded before walking towards the cleaning table where his squirming daughter lay. Taking the scissors, he turned towards the closest nurse, "Will it hurt her?" The nurse shook her head with a small laugh before showing him where to cut it. Bringing the medical scissors towards the cord, he snipped the thin cord, watching his daughter's face afterwards to make sure he, in fact, didn't hurt her.

The nurse picked her up ever-so-gently before wrapping her in a soft blanket. Damon tensed when the nurse carefully placed her in his broad arms. He sat in the chair closest to Elena's hospital bed, allowing Elena to look tiredly at the life she had within her womb for nine months.

Carefully shifting her, he began to tirelessly count all of her toes and fingers, making sure there were twenty altogether. Elena chuckled through the tears, "Can I hold her?"

Damon looked up, pouted playfully, and said, "Only if you make sure that she doesn't have any extra limbs." He glanced down to the dark brown-haired little girl who had yet to open her eyes.

Elena nodded, "Of course." He carefully handed her the baby, making sure they were both comfortable. All the while, he watched Elena's face as she choked up again.

"What?" He asked, slightly confused at her sudden display of emotions.

She glanced up with a beaming smile, "She looks like you."

Damon leaned in, seeing that their daughter had opened her eyes, revealing the same stunning blue as Drake, who was now in the hospital's daycare room, "Well, will you look at that," He smiled proudly before pointing out, "She has your hair though."

Elena nodded, "She's perfect," She brushed her finger through the small hairs on her head, "Our little Eden."

* * *

Damon leaned back into the chair long after the nurse had taken Eden to the nursery and Elena had fallen asleep out of pure exhaustion. Everything was coming together for him. Years ago, he believed that becoming a vampire meant an eternity of damnation, punishment after punishment. Now he had something that he had given up hope on when he first fed off of a human; a family.

After everything he had been through; slipping into a world of depression, losing his wife, having to gain her trust back. It was all worth it, because the child he had held in his arms was a symbol of a new beginning, not an end.

The only thing on his mind as he slipped into a peaceful sleep was of how they had come so far.

* * *

_Seeing Elena asleep gave Damon the slight courage that he needed. Taking a deep breath, he let everything out, "I've never loved a woman like you. You are my everything, Elena," He paused, "I will always love you."_

**El fin**

* * *

**A/N: ****Show your love for this story by leaving a final review, and tell me your favorite part of this story! ****Writing this has been an awesome journey beginning with 'Puzzled Hearts' with the infamous cheating scandal that Damon had got himself mixed in with, all the way to him falling into a deep pool of depression, only to be pulled out by our heroine Elena.**

**I would like to thank:**

princessrae91285

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Amber-Jade James

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You were all such great inspiration, so thank you all! As always, if you have any ideas for any stories, feel free to PM me.


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